SEPTEMBER is ‘Women and Heart Disease Awareness Month’ at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), a cause I feel extremely passionate about.

Yesterday, I was officially announced as a BHF Ambassador, marking the occasion by spending the morning at The William Harvey Heart Centre, Queen Mary University of London, where the BHF funds life saving heart research.

I spoke with BHF researchers about research they are doing into pre-eclampsia, the leading cause of death worldwide for women during pregnancy and heart transplant rejection. This research is of particular interest me to as my mother was previously diagnosed with pre-eclampsia.

It is estimated that globally around 76,000 pregnant women die each year from pre-eclampsia and related hypertensive disorders.

It’s a very sad reality that coronary heart disease remains the UK’s single biggest killer. It kills twice as many women as breast cancer. In the North-East there are 330,000 people alone living a daily battle with cardiovascular disease. 6,840 lives are lost every year in the North-East because of these devastating conditions.

But there is hope. The BHF funds 18 research projects at Institutions across North-East to help fight this heartless disease.

I’d like to encourage all Northern Echo readers to help fund the BHF’s life saving research by donating any unwanted items to your local BHF shop. I have already donated a bag of my unwanted items to the BHF’s Bag It Beat It (BIBI) campaign.The BHF has a one million bag target throughout the month. Your donations really are life savers.

For more information visit www.bhf.org.uk/bagit. To book a free collection call, 0808 250 0024.

The Duchess of York, Ambassador for the British Heart Foundation