Northampton MP Andrew Lewer pledges support for British Heart Foundation to battle 'one of the biggest killers in the UK'

MP for Northampton South Andrew Lewer has pledged his support for the British Heart Foundation (BHF), tweeting that he wants to help them "#MakeScienceFictionAReality".

The BHF funds "life saving research" into heart and circulatory diseases, which they say kill more than 160,000 people per year in the UK.

After visiting a reception celebrating the charity's 60 years of work, the MP tweeted his support, saying: "Last week I dropped in to the @TheBHF reception to celebrate 60 years their life saving research, I’m pledging my support to @BHFpolicy so they can continue to #MakeScienceFictionAReality"

In what is his latest charitable pledge, Mr Lewer has previously lobbied to help cure Motor Neurone Disease (MND) back in 2021 along with the MND Association.

With the help of Northampon's own "MummywithMND", Emma Moss, these efforts bore fruit in the form of £50 million in funding for research into the terminal disease.

Mr Lewer said: "I was delighted to attend the BHF’s parliamentary reception and hear more about the huge advances in research that the charity has made possible over the last 60 years.

"Heart and circulatory diseases are one of the biggest killers in the UK, so it is important that the BHF continues to receive support to help fund the scientific breakthroughs of the future.

“I look forward to working with the BHF to help highlight the crucial part it plays in the UK’s research and development landscape and how the work it funds benefits my constituents.

"I am happy to support them in any way I can, raising awareness and raising issues with ministerial colleagues in Parliament.

“We all know someone that has been touched by or affected by heart disease. I have received emails from many constituents asking me to support this cause and I am happy to represent their concerns in Parliament.

“Since the BHF launched in 1961, the number of people dying from heart and circulatory diseases in the UK each year has halved.

"BHF-funded research also contributed to the first UK heart transplant, and the charity was behind discoveries that revealed the cause of a heart attack - helping to transform treatments ever since.

"The BHF’s research has also identified many of the genes responsible for conditions that cause sudden heart attacks and cardiac arrests, meaning people can be identified before these deadly events strike."

The MP's announcement has been welcomed by the BHF, which sees parliamentary support as being key for the future scientific strides of the charity and the UK overall.

Alex Kenney, head of public affairs at the British Heart Foundation said: “As the government presses on with ambitions to cement the UK’s status as a science superpower, the unique role of charities in contributing to this important aim must not be forgotten.

"Having strong advocates in Parliament for this cause is vital and we can only do this with the support of MPs like Andrew Lewer.

"With their support, we can power the next 60 years of life saving breakthroughs through world-class science.”

Anyone who is interested in the work of the BHF can visit the charity's website.