Edwards Lifesciences patients connect with the employees behind their heart valves, bringing together the people whose lives have been changed with those whose work helps make it possible.
Edwards Lifesciences has brought together patients from Australia, India, Indonesia, South Korea and Singapore at its annual Asia-Pacific Patient Experience event to examine how patient perspectives can inform structural heart care and future innovation.
The programme convened patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals and employees to share experiences spanning diagnosis, treatment and recovery, with the aim of identifying areas where awareness, intervention and patient support can be improved.
More than 80 million people worldwide live with some form of heart valve disease, according to the American Heart Association. With Asia Pacific ageing rapidly, the burden of degenerative valvular heart disease across the region is expected to increase.
Edwards said the event is intended to give patients a direct role in discussions around structural heart care and help the company better understand the realities of living with heart valve disease.
Several recurring themes emerged from the patient stories, including unexpected diagnoses, uncertainty following life-changing news, the importance of family and caregiver support, and improvements in quality of life following timely treatment.
For Jai Arora, 47, from India, the diagnosis came despite being in good physical condition.
“I was in the best shape of my life,” Arora said. “Finding out I had a serious heart condition was a shock, I never saw coming. The idea that something could be wrong with my heart, when I felt invincible, was terrifying.”
Haehun Choi, 68, from South Korea, said his condition was identified during a routine check-up despite having no symptoms.
“I had no symptoms at all, I felt completely fine,” Choi said. “It was only because of a routine check-up, and because my daughter booked me to see a specialist, that we found out how serious it was. If I hadn't gone for the check-up, I don't know when we would have caught it.”
For 17-year-old Qi Le Ee from Singapore, the diagnosis followed what initially appeared to be a persistent fever.
“It started with just a fever, we thought it was dengue,” said Ee. “I was quite shocked when we found out how serious it actually was. Nothing about it seemed like a heart problem, until suddenly it was.”
Dien Harmani from Indonesia highlighted the importance of family support in navigating treatment decisions, while Geoff Lewis, 75, from Australia, described improved quality of life following his procedure.
“Every day I just seem to feel a little better,” Lewis said. “It's been like a second wind. The first effect after the operation was phenomenal. I'm able to do so much more, and I'm not slowing down the way I used to and able to spend more time with my family.”
Amit Raheja, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific at Edwards Lifesciences, said patient feedback can help shape the company’s approach to innovation and care.
“At Edwards, innovation begins with understanding the people we serve. The Patient Experience gives us the opportunity to learn directly from patients and caregivers about the realities of living with structural heart disease.”
He added that these experiences help inform efforts to improve outcomes and quality of life for patients.
The programme also included a tour of Edwards’ Singapore facility and demonstrations of how structural heart technologies are developed.
Edwards said the event is intended to strengthen awareness of structural heart disease while ensuring patient experiences continue to inform the development of future care across Asia Pacific.
