This Sunday, Raasti Naseem will be swapping her lab coat for sports gear as she takes on the Edinburgh Marathon to help raise vital funds for the BHF, to keep projects like hers running.
“The BHF has given me the chance to turn a passion of mine into a career and a way to stop people from facing the loss of a loved one through heart disease. I’ve always been fascinated by the heart – an organ so small but that does so much. After completing a Master’s Degree in Bioengineering at Newcastle University in 2014, I applied to do a PhD at Loughborough University, where I was lucky enough to be funded by the BHF. The BHF is an amazing charity that goes above and beyond to further fund research to benefit those living with, and at risk of having heart disease.
“For the past year, I’ve been looking at how new technology and materials can be used to advance treatments into coronary heart disease – the UK’s single biggest killer. I’ve been working on a polymer-based biodegradable stent, a safe alternative to metal stents that begin to degrade from six months with full degradation at two years.
“It’s a pleasure to be working with such a well-respected charity, and I wanted to do something to give back. Over the last couple of years I have always taken part in running events to honour my mum, Samina, who sadly passed away unexpectedly in 2013, raising funds for different charities. She was such an advocate for fundraising and doing as much as possible for people in need – she was so selfless. This year I will remember her by running the Edinburgh Marathon to raise funds for the BHF.”
Our Research
We are the largest funder of cardiovascular research in the UK, helping scientists to undertake pioneering research into many different heart conditions, their diagnosis and treatment.
Thanks to the generous donations of our supporters, we are able to fund scientists at more than 50 different research locations in the UK and hundreds of researchers working on over 1,000 projects.
Research is the only answer to ending the devastation caused by heart disease. To help us continue our fight for every heartbeat, you can sponsor Raasti by visiting her JustGiving page or take part in an event yourself.
Run for research
The BHF has a programme of running events throughout the year, suitable for all abilities. Join thousands of Heart Runners and help us fight against heart disease.
Become a Heart Runner
