An iconic red bench has been unveiled in the heart of Leicester to honour GP Dr Carol Ighofose, recognising her strength, compassion and more than two decades of service to the city.
Carol, a mum of two, was just 48 when she suffered a heart attack in January 2018 while driving home from work. What she initially believed to be indigestion quickly escalated into crushing chest pain, leaving her disorientated and struggling to breathe. She was on the phone to a friend and colleague, Dr Tracey Bempah, who immediately called an ambulance as Carol pulled over at the side of the road.
Picture credit: British Heart Foundation
Despite repeatedly telling ambulance and hospital staff that she believed she was having a heart attack, Carol says it was several hours before she received treatment.
“I had chest pain for the entire duration of my time there,” she said. “I was lying there thinking, ‘my heart is being significantly damaged’. I couldn’t believe this was happening.”
Carol, now 56, was transferred in the early hours of the following morning to another Leicester hospital, where it was confirmed she had suffered a heart attack. She had a stent fitted, but scans revealed severe damage to her heart muscle. She was later diagnosed with heart failure and will need to take medication for the rest of her life.
Inspired to work in medicine after caring for her mother, who died when Carol was just ten, she says the experience has profoundly changed her outlook on life and her approach as a doctor.
“Initially, in the weeks and months after the heart attack, I really struggled with fatigue and breathlessness,” she said. “I still get very tired, but I walk a lot, eat well and I’m much more aware of my limitations. What this experience has taught me is to give my all to things I’m passionate about.”
She added: “It’s also made me even more compassionate as a doctor. I’ve been there personally, and I know how complex people’s lives can be.”
The bench has been installed on Walnut Street, close to Leicester Royal Infirmary, near where Carol pulled over on the day of her heart attack.
“My bench will be in the vicinity of where everything happened to me,” she said. “It’s quite poignant. It’s a busy location that will hopefully encourage people to sit, reflect and start conversations. I first came to Leicester in 2004 to study medicine, and the city has long been home to me.”
Carol is one of dozens of people sharing their experiences as part of a new national campaign by the British Heart Foundation. To mark 65 years since the charity was founded, 65 red benches are being unveiled across the UK in tribute to people living with cardiovascular disease.
Each bench represents a personal story of survival, highlighting the impact of heart disease and the role of research in helping people live longer, healthier lives. The campaign was developed in partnership with Saatchi & Saatchi and Raw Research, with Carol’s bench donated and installed by Leicester City Council.
Every three minutes, someone in the UK dies from cardiovascular disease. More than eight million people nationwide are living with the condition, including around 30,000 in Leicester alone.
However, a new survey commissioned by the British Heart Foundation suggests many people with cardiovascular disease continue to face judgement and embarrassment about their condition, underlining the importance of greater awareness and understanding.
