Norfolk Heart Trust
The Norfolk Heart Trust exists to help the thousands of people in Norfolk who suffer with heart disease every year, improving their chances of survival and their quality of life.
More than half the population will have heart and circulatory problems in their lifetime. Heart disease is the single biggest cause of death in the UK. Early and accurate detection, diagnosis and treatment is vital. Having the dedicated equipment is transformational.
If you, a member of your family or a friend have been treated for heart disease at the NNUH, there is a good chance that the equipment has been donated by the Norfolk Heart Trust (NHT).
The NHT campaign is being backed by friends of the late Iain Brooksby, a leading cardiologist and former medical director of the NNUH and past Chairman of NHT who helped save the lives of so many people in the county.
An update on the Miracle Magents for Hearts (MM4H) Appeal from Dr Lisa Freeman
We are delighted to share the success of the Norfolk Heart Trust appeal and to thank everyone whose donations made this achievement possible.
In February 2025 a new dedicated cardiac MRI scanner was installed at the Community Diagnostic Centre at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. Every pound needed for this specialist equipment was raised through charitable support from the Norfolk Heart Trust and the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital Charity. Thanks to this remarkable effort, the full cost of the scanner has been met through local giving.
The impact has been immediate. More people across Norfolk are now accessing high‑quality heart MRI scans, and adults are being seen promptly. The Norfolk Heart Trust has also funded the advanced software that allows cardiologists and radiologists to analyse these scans in depth. This helps doctors to make clearer, quicker decisions for their patients.
Associate Professor Pankaj Garg from the University of East Anglia, also an Honorary Consultant Cardiologist at the hospital, explained that the new scanner is already delivering detailed, reliable information to help manage heart conditions. He noted that it is one of the most consistently performing services within the Cardiac Diagnostic Centre.
The Norfolk Heart Trust, held under the umbrella of Norfolk Community Foundation, continues to raise funds so people in Norfolk can benefit from the best possible cardiac equipment, research and training. This milestone shows what local people can achieve when they come together.
Adrian’s story
It was only thanks to a lifesaving MRI that Adrian got his life back.
Over the course of thee years, barber shop owner Adrian from Lowestoft went from working, teaching karate and taking part in motocross and American football to barely being able to walk. It was only after an MRI scan that what Adrian had been told was asthma was in fact heart failure. Adrian received a quadruple heart bypass and is now living life to the full as much as possible and is back running his barbershop business.
“You can see how important it is, as a diagnostic tool. It’s a vital piece of equipment. That MRI machine can give you your life back.”
Adrian’s story shows us that early and accurate detection, diagnosis and treatment of heart and circulatory problems is vital, and having the latest equipment is transformational.
New research shows the scanner is opening safer options for people with heart failure
Researchers at Norwich Medical School have shown how the new dedicated heart MRI scanner at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital is already making a real difference. Their work suggests it could offer a safer way to understand how severe heart failure is, without the need for an invasive tube test.
This breakthrough has been made possible thanks to the scanner installed in 2025, jointly funded by the Norfolk Heart Trust and the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital Charity.
At the moment doctors often use a procedure where a thin tube is passed into the heart to check how much oxygen is in the blood. It gives important information but can be uncomfortable and carries some risks.
The new study shows that doctors can now gather similar information using a simple measurement from a routine cardiac MRI scan. Instead of inserting a tube, the scanner can estimate how much oxygen remains in the blood returning to the heart. This helps clinicians see how well the heart is coping without putting people through an invasive procedure.
Professor Pankaj Garg, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School and a Consultant Cardiologist at the hospital, led the research. He explained that heart failure affects many people and can significantly weaken the heart’s ability to pump blood, and how this new test could help.
“We wanted to develop a safe, non-invasive alternative which could allow far more patients to be properly assessed, and allow repeat monitoring without the risks of a catheter test. Our breakthrough could be a game changer for assessing advanced heart failure. It could allow us to measure risk more safely and more often, especially for patients who are too frail or high-risk for an invasive catheter procedure.”
The findings show why support for the scanner has been so important. It is already helping local clinicians care for more people safely, and giving people in Norfolk access to the same high‑quality heart imaging as major centres across the UK.
How you can help
The Norfolk Heart Trust has achieved so much, but we want to do more, and we’ve only been able to achieve what we have through the efforts of kind donors and volunteer fundraisers. People like you. There are all sorts of ways to raise money for and awareness of the Norfolk Heart Trust, and many of them are a great deal of fun!
- The easiest way to help is to simply donate online via the form on this page or you can send a cheque made payable to Norfolk Heart Trust sent to Norfolk Community Foundation, St. James Mill, Whitefriars, Norwich, NR3 1TN. Any sum, large or small, is enormously appreciated.
- You might want to set a personal challenge for yourself by taking part in a sponsored walk, run or cycle ride, or organise a community event in the form of a bake sale, coffee morning or car boot sale. You can also download a sponsorship form that you can use to get your friends, family and work colleagues on board. Do let us know about your fundraising event, so that we can help.
Whatever your fundraising event is, all we ask if that you ensure that it is safe and within the charity law. On any literature, please make sure that you state that you are fundraising on Norfolk Heart Trust’s behalf, but that you do not represent the charity. Please include Norfolk Community Foundation and our registered charity number (1110817) on any posters and advertisements that invite people to participate or help.
Minutes from the Norfolk Heart Trust Advisory Committee Meetings are available on request and so too are their Terms of Reference. Please contact Sara Herschel-Shorland if you would like a copy.