Brave kids and people who saved strangers' lives celebrated at Heart Hero Awards
Tears were shed at a glittering awards ceremony last night celebrating those who have made incredible differences to heart health across the UK.

The Heart Hero Awards 2022 saw trophies handed out to several people, from those who have saved lives through using emergency CPR to medics working on the frontline to protect hearts through the NHS.

Run by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) with Metro.co.uk as its media partner this year, there was not a dry eye in the room as emotional videos of the winners’ experiences were played to a sparkling room of people.

Award winners this year include Máirtín Mac Gabhann, who was noted for his Outstanding Contribution after he battled for almost four years to change the law in Northern Ireland to opt-out organ donation after his son Dáithí, 6, was put on the heart transplant waiting list.

‘It’s been an unbelievable night,’ Máirtín told Metro.co.uk after the ceremony in London. ‘I came here tonight not expecting anything, especially with all the wonderful nominees.

‘I don’t see myself as a hero, at all – I see myself as a parent trying to help save my child’s life.

‘Dáithí means the absolute world to me and every single day I fall in love with him that little bit more. The thought of losing Dáithí is just unbearable, and that’s what has driven me through this campaign.

‘The campaign won’t individually help Dáithí, but it benefits all those who need it with the gift of life. And that includes my son, because he’s on that waiting list.

‘We’re honoured to be on this journey helping save people’s lives, it’s such a humbling experience.’

He urged people to talk about organ donation and their wishes with their families, and said he will continue to ‘shout from the rooftops’ to encourage people to do so, despite his victory with the law.

Several celebrities attended the glitzy bash at Glaziers Hall in the centre of the capital, with Vernon Kay as the star host for the evening.

Scottish footballer Scott Allan, former Made in Chelsea star Ollie Proudlock, and TV and radio presenter Will Njobvu were among this year’s celebrity judges.

A Heart Hero can be anyone from a healthcare professional doing exceptional work, to a young person living with heart disease that has shown incredible courage and determination, to an inspiring fundraiser who has found creative ways to help fund research.

The Healthcare Hero winner was Helen Eftekhari, who has worked as a nurse in heart health for almost 30 years and is now doing a PhD as part of a BHF nurses fellowship looking at Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS).

‘I feel very humbled and grateful to the person who has nominated me – although it’s an individual award it’s not really about an individual, it’s really about the team behind you,’ she told Metro.co.uk.

‘You couldn’t do what you do without the support of your colleagues, but it’s nice to know that you’re making a difference to people’s lives, and I do feel passionate about raising more awareness of PoTS. There are a lot of young women having a poor quality of life and they deserve a bit better.’

Several inspirational children battling heart conditions or doing amazing fundraising were also honoured, as well as people who have saved the lives of strangers.

Connor Beck, 11, hasn’t stopped fundraising since his uncle died three years ago and was given a Young Heart Hero award for his efforts raising thousands for the BHF.

‘I’m having a good time,’ he said. ‘It’s amazing that everyone here is just amazing. The meal was lovely but the dessert was my favourite.

‘Winning was such a surprise, and a surprise to my family that I won today and they’re all really happy for me.’

Mum Michelle Clark said she’s ‘really proud of Connor’.

‘He’s done so well, he’s delighted with his award,’ she added. ‘He doesn’t do it to win awards but it’s just the cherry on the cake to get that, and will motivate him to keep going.’

Award winner Kaylie Charlery, who saved the life of her goddaughter Sienna Crook through the use of emergency CPR, told Metro.co.uk: ‘It’s been very surreal, but it’s obviously an incredible honour.

‘I feel like I did what anyone else would have done in that situation – a situation that no one ever wants to be in – but for me, Sienna is the true hero.

‘It’s so special to be here [with her] tonight, we’re such a big part of each other’s lives anyway so to be here together is just so special and it’s been a lovely evening.

‘I think reflecting back on the day, and what happened, is something we’ve all done together a lot, but to then talk about it [in public] just brings back a lot of emotions. It’s been a heavy day, but a really special day as well.’

Although nominations for next year’s Heart Hero Awards will not open until early 2023, the Young Heart Hero and CPR Hero categories still remain open to nominations throughout the year.

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive of the BHF, said: ‘The Heart Hero Awards are such a special way to celebrate and give thanks to our BHF supporters who have shown courage, resilience, compassion and bravery in the face of heart and circulatory diseases.

‘A huge thank you and congratulations to all the nominees and winners, judges, and presenters, for making the Heart Hero Awards the unique and heart-warming event that it is.

‘It’s only thanks to you and all our fantastic supporters that we are able to fund lifesaving research that helps the 7.6 million people living with heart and circulatory conditions in the UK.’

BHF Heart Hero Awards 2022 full list of winners

The winners at the 2022 Heart Hero Awards – with Metro.co.uk as its media partner this year and supported by Laerdal Medical – were announced in a glittering ceremony last night in London which was hosted by Vernon Kay.

Young Heart Hero

There are many winners of this award, but those listed below attended on the night.

Ollie Banks, 10 and from Pontypool. Ollie has a congenital heart defect called Ebstein’s Anomaly and will require surgery to repair the faulty valve in the future. Ollie has raised over £1,000 for the BHF this year.

Connor Beck, 11 and from Renfrew, has raised thousands of pounds for the BHF in memory of his beloved uncle John Clark, who died suddenly in 2019.

Sienna Crook, 2 and of Chelmsford, who at just 14 months old suffered a sudden cardiac arrest and was subsequently diagnosed with eight heart conditions including the rare Brugada syndrome. Since her diagnosis several members of her family have also been diagnosed and have been fundraising directly to help find a cure for the condition.

Jacob Marsh, 12 and from Llantwit Major, who was born with a hole in his heart and with a coarctation of the aorta. He ran 50km in February 2021 to raise money for BHF while he was shielding from Covid-19.

Sustainability Partner

HSL handcrafts beautiful chairs, recliners, sofas and beds from its base in West Yorkshire and has been in partnership with the BHF since 2015. As well as donating all ex-display stock to local BHF home stores, staff are trained in CPR and almost £2 million has been raised for the charity to date.

Innovative Fundraiser

There are two joint winners for this award.

Paul Hobbs, from Somerset, walked a marathon two years after having major heart surgery and raised more than £10,000 for the BHF. He also created a new world record for the first man to walk 26.2 miles around a British pier.

Terrence ‘Woody’ Stone, who has raised thousands of pounds for the BHF to mark 10 years since his life-saving bypass operation, despite being almost 80.

BHF Corporate Partner

PureGym, which launched a three-year partnership with the BHF earlier this year aiming to improve heart health across the country. It is helping add hundreds more defibrillators to the national network and aims to raise £5 million to fund critical research into cardiovascular diseases.

Healthcare Hero

Helen Eftekhari, 56 and of Coventry, has worked as a nurse in heart health for almost 30 years and is now doing a PhD as part of a BHF nurses fellowship looking at Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS), a condition that causes an abnormal increase in heart rate after sitting up or standing. She also helped open one of the UK’s few specialist clinics looking at PoTS.

BHF Research Engagement

Professor Pablo Lamata‘s team has developed imaging and computational technologies to see what’s driving the blood flow through the valves. This helps them better understand what may be obstructing a valve, and also helps identify them so better strategies can be developed to treat them.

CPR Hero

There are many winners of this award, but those listed below attended on the night.

Nathan Beale, 33 and of Coventry, was on a bus in 2014 when stranger David Newton had a cardiac arrest in front of him. He organised the bus, told someone to call 999 and carried out CPR while waiting for an ambulance to arrive. He saved David’s life and even went to hospital with his wife Joy to make sure she wasn’t on her own.

Kaylie Charlery, 33 and of Chelmsford, saved her goddaughter Sienna Crook, Young Heart Hero Award winner, with CPR and no first aid training although Sienna was only 14 months old at the time.

Lisa Hoddinott, 51 and of Coventry, saved the life of her partner and carer Nicki Evans in 2020 when Nicki suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at home. Lisa called 999 and lifted Nicki off the sofa to perform CPR and saved her life.

Aaron Lambley, of Shrewsbury, saved the life of a stranger when Guy Gower, then 18, suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while playing golf. He immediately realised what was happening and administered CPR while waiting for the defibrillator to be brought over from the clubhouse.

Adam Solkar, 19 and of London, came to his dad Raheel’s rescue when he suffered a cardiac arrest while undergoing chemotherapy. He carried about CPR for 15 minutes before paramedics arrived and saved his dad’s life.

Outstanding Contribution

Máirtín Mac Gabhann, 31 and of Belfast, has devoted his life to raising awareness of organ donation since his son Dáithí was born with hyperplastic left heart syndrome. He has been on the waiting list for a heart transplant since and Máirtín has successfully lobbied the Northern Irish government for ‘soft opt-out’ organ donation and the new law will come into effect from spring next year.

READ MORE: Heart health is more important than ever – so we’re partnering with the BHF this year

READ MORE: I saved my dad’s life after he had a cardiac arrest at his 70th birthday party

READ MORE: Blind man saved partner’s life with CPR despite ‘struggling to see her chest’

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The British Heart Foundation Heart Hero Awards 2022

A BHF Heart Hero, with Metro.co.uk as its media partner this year, can be anyone from a healthcare professional doing exceptional work, to a young person living with heart disease that has shown incredible courage and determination, to an inspiring fundraiser who has found creative ways to help fund research.

This year's winners were announced at an awards ceremony hosted by Vernon Kay at Glaziers Hall in London on the evening of Thursday, December 1.

Scottish footballer Scott Allan and TV and radio presenter Will Njobvu were among this year's celebrity judges, and guest celebrities announced some of the winners.

The awards ceremony raises awareness of the continued need for funding for the pioneering research that is turning science fiction into reality, and providing hope for more than seven million people in the UK living with heart and circulatory conditions.

Although nominations for next year's Heart Hero Awards will not open until early 2023, the Young Heart Hero and CPR Hero categories still remain open to nominations all year round.