At the recent Business Leaders Breakfast at the Southampton International Boat Show, Southampton-based charity Wessex Heartbeat was announced as the Business South charity of the year.
CEO Mark Ind shared his compelling reason for first supporting and now leading the charity that is close to everyone’s heart – his son sadly suffered from a heart condition as a child but thanks to treatment he has gone on to prosper.
As well as announcing Heartbeat as the Business South Charity of the Year, Group CEO Leigh-Sara Timberlake was presented with a 3D-printed crystal heart in recognition of Business South’s support for this pioneering programme.
Wessex Heartbeat has funded and is continuing to fund the UK’s first specialist 3D cardiac modelling software to be situated at the Wessex Cardiac Centre in Southampton General Hospital. It allows surgeons to get an accurate 3D printed model of a child’s heart before surgery, to provide additional insight and improving peace of mind to the patients and their families.
The 3D technology is said to encourage less evasive, and more accurate, pre-operative planning for surgery on children with congenital heart disease. The models produced are an exact replica of the patient’s heart and offer an in-depth look at the organ, including any tiny imperfections that may have originally been missed.
The use of this new and cutting-edge technology means that surgeons can meticulously plan any operations necessary and completely minimise the number of invasive operations and procedures that the child will undergo throughout his or her life.
Find out more about how you can support Wessex Heartbeat here.
