Sussex Heart Charity starts a free support group for people with heart conditions

The Sussex Heart Charity^1,2,3 has started Heart to Heart, a free peer support group for anyone living with a heart condition and the people close to them. It meets in the Brighton area, and the next meeting is on Tuesday 27 October.

The charity says the meetings are informal, over a cuppa, with no pressure to talk about anything personal. Volunteers who have had heart conditions themselves come along, and a member of the cardiac rehabilitation team will usually be there too. Partners, carers, family and friends are welcome.

The idea came from Martina McGuire, who has worked in cardiac care since qualifying as a nurse in 2001. She set the group up during a 65-hour community placement for her Health Promotion master’s at the University of Brighton. Two pilot meetings have been held. Her placement is over, but she has signed up as a volunteer to keep it going.

“A cardiac event can leave people feeling vulnerable and isolated, and the group provides a space where people can seek support, share experiences, offer advice, or simply talk to someone who understands,” she said in comments published by the Southern Gazette⁴.

At the October meeting, Laura from the NHS Brighton and Hove Wellbeing Service will talk about how living with a heart condition can affect mental health, with practical ideas for managing stress. Later sessions will bring in pharmacists and physiotherapists, and some will teach CPR and how to use a defibrillator, with trainers and paramedics from Pulse South Coast.

The group plans to meet roughly every six weeks. Venues, days and times change, so the charity sends them out by email. Join the mailing list on its website to get them.

The Sussex Heart Charity was founded in Brighton in 1987. Matt Denison, its chief executive, said: “Heart to Heart wouldn’t have existed without Martina’s hard work and commitment.”