Around 800 BHF runners took to the streets of the British capitalfor the iconic 2022 TCS London Marathon on Sunday 2nd October.
As the 2022 Charity of the Year, our runners have raised nearly £2 million so far, with further donations expected. This will help fund lifesaving science into regenerative medicine, a cutting-edge field of research that has the power to unlock a cure for heart failure.
Go Sanjay!
Among our marathon runners was Professor Sanjay Sinha from the University of Cambridge, who completed the event in around four hours fifty minutes.
Professor Sanjay is leading ground-breaking research behind the Heart Healing Patch. Made of stem cells, the patch could be applied to the heart to help repair damage caused by a heart attack and could help save and improve the lives of millions worldwide affected by heart failure.
Nearly a million people in the UK are currently living with heart failure. Poignantly, Sanjay’s running number for the marathon was 17,000 – which is how many people are diagnosed with heart failure in the UK each month.
Turbo charging pioneering research
After crossing the finish line Professor Sanjay Sinha, our Senior Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge, said: “Taking part in the 2022 TCS London Marathon for the British Heart Foundation (BHF), was such a huge challenge. It was my first marathon and an absolutely incredible experience. The atmosphere on the day was electric and I wouldn’t have made it round the last few miles without the support from the crowds, who were amazing.
“I am proud to know that by doing this, together with over 800 other BHF runners, we’ve helped the BHF to continue to fund pioneering research into regenerative medicine – including the development of our Heart Healing Patch, which could save and improve the lives of millions of people worldwide affected by heart failure.
“The money raised by the BHF’s runners and supporters at this year’s event could be truly transformative and help us carry out the first clinical trials of the patch in patients. I want to thank every single person who has already donated. ”
Our Chief Executive Dr Charmaine Griffiths said: “It was a truly heart-warming and inspirational day cheering on all our Team BHF runners, made even more special with the BHF being the 2022 TCS London Marathon’s charity of the year.
“The hundreds of runners who took part in the iconic TCS London Marathon 2022 have helped us to turbo charge our pioneering research into regenerative medicine, which includes the development of a Heart Healing Patch, which could save and improve the lives of millions of people worldwide affected by heart failure.
“From all those who fundraised, donated, volunteered and supported Team BHF on the day, you have played your part in helping to get our ground-breaking research over the finish line even faster and we cannot thank you enough.”
Applications for the 2023 TCS London Marathon are now open.
Help to make the Heart Healing Patch a reality
https://www.bhf.org.uk/what-we-do/news-from-the-bhf/news-archive/2022/october/hundreds-run-for-regenerative-medicine-research-at-the-2022-tcs-london-marathon
