Maghull Bench unveiled in ‘living tribute’ to local man diagnosed with coronary heart disease

An iconic red bench has been unveiled in Maghull, Merseyside to recognise a local man who underwent triple bypass surgery after surviving a heart attack. 

Chris Pye, 70, a retired quantity surveyor was out running his regular training route in April 2022 when he began to feel chest pain that he had experienced previously while running, but which usually subsided.  

This time the pain continued and became so overwhelming within his chest that he was forced to stop and return home where he continued to sweat and feel unwell. He called an ambulance and was taken to Aintree Hospital where doctors told him he’d had a heart attack. 

Chris was transferred to Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital where his cardiologist told him he would need a single bypass surgery to replace the artery that had become damaged through coronary heart disease. During surgery, two more arteries were discovered to be damaged, so a triple bypass was performed.  

Chris said: “I was surprised to learn that I’d had three arteries replaced when I woke up as I didn’t realise how bad my heart had got. It took a while for me to come to terms with the seriousness of my situation and how close I'd come to death as I had always been so fit and active.”

“The only real clues were that I’d had the chest pains on and off and had been getting progressively slower at running, so I’d had a niggling feeling that something wasn’t right, but nothing as major as this.”

“My experience is obviously not one that anyone would want, there are days when you feel total despair and then as time goes on, you realise things are getting back to normal. So however dark it seems on some days, rest assured, it does get a lot better. That’s the main message I’d want to get through to people.” 

“I now feel better than before, doing plenty of walking travelling and gardening so dare I say it, life is back to normal”.  

Chris’s bench has been placed in the peace garden at King George V Playing Field next to Maghull Town Hall. 

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

 Chris said: “I feel very proud to have my survival and recovery celebrated with a red bench. I chose King George V playing fields as it’s a place where everyone can enjoy it and not far from the Leeds Liverpool Canal where I have spent many happy hours walking since my heart attack.”

“I hope the fact that it’s dedicated to a survivor shows others that there is still life to enjoy after going through heart surgery. I feel so lucky to be here that I try to make the most of every day. I also hope that people will reflect on the difference that BHF-funded research has made to millions of people with heart disease over the years and consider donating to help save more lives.” 

Chris is one of dozens of people who have bravely shared their story on camera as part of a new national campaign by British Heart Foundation (BHF).  

To mark 65 years since BHF began, the charity is unveiling 65 red benches across the UK in tribute to those living with cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks.  

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.  

Every three minutes, someone in the UK dies from cardiovascular disease, with the condition affecting more than eight million people in the UK alone. 

However, a new survey* commissioned by BHF of 2,000 UK adults living with cardiovascular disease has found that they can face judgement and embarrassment.  

According to the survey:  

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

• Meanwhile, around half (48 per cent) said they had experienced challenges with their personal relationships due to their condition, with two in three (65 per cent) saying they had experienced challenges with their mental health.   

• And half (50 per cent) feel cardiovascular disease is not taken as seriously as other conditions, while two in three (68 per cent) say it is not well understood.  With the disease able to affect anyone, three in four (73 per cent) agreed that people think it only affects certain demographics, such as older people.  

British Heart Foundation hopes that the red benches will encourage others to open up about their experience of living with cardiovascular disease, and help raise awareness across the UK.   

The charity is also urging people for donations so they can help fund more groundbreaking research to keep the nation beating.  

In 1961, most heart attacks were fatal - more than 7 in 10 people in the UK didn’t survive one. We didn’t know what caused them, and we had no effective ways to prevent or treat them. Today, with the help of decades of BHF-funded research, those odds have been transformed by lifesaving treatments and better detection and prevention strategies.  

One of BHF’s very first grants went to Professor Desmond Julian, who set up the UK’s first coronary care unit, placing heart patients in dedicated wards with specialised staff and equipment. The unit reduced deaths by more than 30% in the first year. Now, coronary care units are now routinely seen in hospitals providing heart care. Thanks to the work of Prof Julian and others, Chris is one of the more than 7 in 10 people who do survive a heart attack in the UK.   

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive at British Heart Foundation said: “Chris’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. Donate now to keep the nation beating - visit bhf.org.uk/keepusbeating