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In Liverpool, a striking red bench has been installed to honour Dr. Sanjana Kochar, a local general practitioner whose life was dramatically saved by a heart transplant. At just 32 years old, Dr. Kochar’s heart condition was first identified when she was 21, after she began experiencing symptoms such as breathlessness and palpitations. Diagnosed with heart failure at Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, where her family resided, her condition was later attributed to cardiomyopathy, a disease affecting the heart muscle following extensive testing in both Newcastle and London.
Throughout her battle with heart failure, Sanjana had an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) fitted in 2014 to protect her from sudden cardiac arrest. Her heart function progressively worsened, declining from 35 percent to a critical 12 percent by October 2022. At that point, she was admitted to Freeman Hospital with multiple organ failure and urgently placed on the transplant list. A month later, she received a donated heart and underwent successful transplant surgery, leading to her hospital discharge just before Christmas. This life-saving operation transformed Sanjana’s life, enabling her to reach personal milestones such as hiking—something that had been impossible before. Marking the first anniversary of her transplant in November 2023, she became engaged to her partner Paul; they married a year later, and she was able to dance at their wedding, an experience she once thought would never be possible.
The red bench dedicated to Sanjana now rests in Otterspool Park, overlooking the River Mersey. This installation is part of a national project by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), undertaken in collaboration with Saatchi & Saatchi and Raw Research, to establish 65 benches across the UK to celebrate individuals living with cardiovascular disease. Liverpool City Council facilitated the placement of Sanjana’s bench in her hometown. Reflecting on the significance of the memorial, Sanjana expressed how it stands as a unique tribute not of loss but of survival and hope. She highlighted, “This bench is such a special reminder that I am alive today after surviving heart failure and receiving a life-saving heart transplant.” She shared how the park, deeply connected to her life in Liverpool, serves as a place where she can reflect on her journey, appreciate her recovery, and spend quality time with her loved ones.
Sanjana’s story is among many featured in the BHF’s new campaign marking 65 years of funding groundbreaking heart research. The campaign aims to foster awareness about the impacts of cardiovascular disease, which currently affects over eight million people in the UK and claims a life every three minutes. A recent survey of 2,000 adults living with cardiovascular disease revealed ongoing stigma and misunderstanding surrounding the condition. Many respondents reported feelings of embarrassment, judgment, and isolation, with significant challenges in personal relationships and mental health. The British Heart Foundation hopes the red benches, including Sanjana’s, will inspire open conversations about heart disease and organ donation, encouraging broader understanding and support for those affected. Dr. Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive at BHF, emphasized the importance of sharing these real-life experiences to combat misconceptions and highlighted the role of ongoing research funded by public donations in saving and improving lives across the UK
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