AN iconic red bench has been unveiled in Harlow to honour Anna Smith Higgs – a stroke survivor who rebuilt her life and now inspires confidence through burlesque performance.

Anna was just 24 when her life changed forever after suffering a stroke on Christmas Day 2004, only a month after giving birth to her first child.

Everything seemed normal until her brother-in-law handed her a coffee. Anna reached out with her right hand and the cup slipped straight to the floor. She laughed it off, thinking she was clumsy and put it down to the couple of glasses of wine she’d had, but it was the first sign something was seriously wrong.

That night, Anna woke to the sound of her baby crying and fell out of bed when she tried to get up. By the next morning, her sister noticed Anna’s face had dropped and she couldn’t speak. Her family called an ambulance, and although paramedics suspected a stroke, no one believed it because she was so young. At hospital, an MRI finally confirmed the truth: Anna had suffered a stroke. She spent two weeks in Addenbrooke’s Hospital and then five months on a stroke unit, where they told her she was the youngest patient they had ever treated.

The stroke left Anna with no use of her right arm, a weak right leg that sometimes requires a wheelchair, and tunnel vision. “I was terrified of having another stroke, so I refused to leave my bed for almost two years,” Anna said. “Panic attacks made even taking my son to nursery impossible. My mental health was shot for six months after my stroke – dealing with that was harder than the physical effects.”

Acceptance was the turning point. Once Anna embraced her disability, life became easier – and she began challenging herself with new experiences, from abseiling and fire breathing to burlesque performance. “Performing helped me reclaim my confidence and show others that disability doesn’t define you. It gave me back a sense of control and joy.”

Anna is one of dozens sharing their story as part of a new national campaign by the British Heart Foundation (BHF). To mark 65 years of lifesaving work, the charity has unveiled 65 red benches across the UK in tribute to those living with cardiovascular disease, including stroke survivors like Anna.

The BHF worked with Saatchi & Saatchi and Raw Research to identify cardiovascular disease survivors and suitable locations, with Anna’s bench installed thanks to the work of Harlow Council. 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.

Anna chose to place her bench in Church Road overlooking Potters Field – a spot full of memories. “I’ve always walked my dog there,” she said. “When the weather is warmer, I’m planning a big picnic with all my friends.”

Every three minutes, someone in the UK dies from cardiovascular disease, which affects more than eight million people nationwide. Yet a new survey* commissioned by BHF of 2,000 UK adults living with cardiovascular disease reveals the judgement and embarrassment many still face:

Over half (55%) said they have felt judged or embarrassed about their condition, with one in three (36%) saying they have encountered instances where people think it is self-inflicted.

Around half (48%) said they had experienced challenges with personal relationships due to their condition, with two in three (65%) saying they had experienced challenges with their mental health.
Anna knows these challenges well. “We went out in a wheelchair and a friend wouldn’t speak to me. They distanced themselves as they didn’t want to see me as a stroke survivor. It was awful. I thought I’d lose all my friends,” she said.

She also remembers feeling unable to talk about her condition. “I didn’t know how to broach it. I thought I’d be judged and not seen as a whole person. That’s changed over time. Now I shout loudly and proudly about what happened to me. My stroke’s made me. The difference came after I learned to accept what happened to me.”

Lifesaving research funded by BHF includes its flagship CureHeart programme, which could one day find new treatments and cures for inherited heart muscle diseases. BHF is also funding groundbreaking research using artificial intelligence, including projects that could help predict heart attacks years before they strike and improve detection of hidden heart rhythm problems.

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive at British Heart Foundation, said: “Anna’s story shows the true reality of living with cardiovascular disease, and we are so grateful that they are courageously sharing their experiences to help others.

“Despite being one of the UK’s biggest killers, our new findings show cardiovascular disease is still misunderstood or not taken seriously – and that those living with it face judgement and challenges.

“By sharing the stories of people who live with cardiovascular disease on our iconic red benches across the UK, we hope to start more conversations that change dangerous misconceptions. Research will help us save and improve more lives, but the only way we can fund the scientific breakthroughs of tomorrow is thanks to the public’s generous donations.”

Every three minutes, someone in the UK dies from cardiovascular disease. People can donate to the BHF at bhf.org.uk/keepusbeating