A SOLIHULL mum has been honoured with an iconic red bench in Shirley to celebrate her survival from a rare genetic heart condition.
Thanieth Khan, from Solihull, is one of just 65 people across the UK chosen by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to take part in its national campaign and have a red bench installed with their name on it, to celebrate 65 years of the charity funding life-saving cardiovascular research.
Behind every bench is a powerful real-life story of someone living with a cardiovascular condition –and thanks to research, they can survive to enjoy life with their loved ones.
Thanieth’s bench was installed by Solihull Council and has been unveiled on the Stratford Road, opposite Boots.
Thanieth is living a full life in spite of her heart condition but knows how serious it can be as her mum and two brothers died from the same condition.
Thanieth was 14 when she was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a disease of the heart muscle where the heart chambers become enlarged and the heart’s muscle wall becomes thinner and weaker.
Since then, she has endured countless hospital visits for chest pain and palpitations.
Thanks to advances in treatment, Thanieth has an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), a small electrical device that is inserted under the skin and administers a shock if she has a life-threatening heart rhythm.
She enjoys weight training and runs a successful international recruitment company as well as looking after her children Abdullah, 10, and Aisha, nine.
Thanieth said: “Benches usually remember those we’ve lost, but mine is different — it celebrates survival.
“Thanks to the incredible progress of research into heart conditions, I was diagnosed and treated at an early stage and I am able to live my life and be around for my children.
“Losing my mum and brothers to the same heart condition makes the bench even more poignant. But I know the best way to honour their memory is to grab life with both hands and to raise awareness of heart conditions so fewer people lose loved ones.
“I hope the bench inspires people to learn more about heart conditions and about the BHF, gives hope to those affected by heart disease, and inspires everyone to donate to life-saving heart research.”
Thanieth, who runs a fundraising group in Solihull, is determined to challenge cultural taboos around heart conditions.
She said: “Having a heart condition when you are young is so tough and I was embarrassed about it. In my culture, we are not encouraged to talk about heart health and my mum asked me to keep it a secret.
“Losing my family was devastating but it also changed my mindset. I realised heart conditions aren’t something to be ashamed of – they can affect anyone. We need more awareness so people can spot when they need treatment and because it will encourage donations to charities like BHF who can then fund research that will change and save lives.”
Thanieth is one of around 1 in 250 people worldwide who have an inherited heart muscle condition.
In 2022, the BHF awarded £30m to CureHeart, to research treatments to correct the DNA spelling mistakes that can cause these diseases.
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive at British Heart Foundation said: “Thanieth’s story shows the true reality of living with cardiovascular disease, and we are so grateful that she is courageously sharing her experiences to help others.”
