Roger Black is renowned for being one of Britain’s greatest runners – but what many people don’t know is that when he was 11 years old he discovered that he has a serious heart condition. Roger, now aged 55, defied his diagnosis of congenital heart disease and went on to win numerous medals, including two silvers at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 and two relay golds at the 1991 and 1997 World Championships.

Roger, who is an Ambassador for the British Heart Foundation and has a family history of heart disease, is passionate about the need for research and encouraging people to take part in clinical trials. He is supporting local clinical trials company Panthera which is running clinical trials investigating potential new medicines for a variety of conditions including cardiovascular disease (CVD).

On Tuesday (26th October) Roger visited Panthera’s clinic on Woodhall Road in Enfield where he had a tour of the clinic, met the Panthera team and learnt more about the important CVD studies that Panthera is currently running.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the umbrella term for conditions that affect the heart or blood circulation such as stroke, high blood pressure and vascular dementia. There are around 7.6 million people living with heart and circulatory diseases in the UK and it is estimated that more than half of the population will get a heart or circulatory condition in their lifetime. CVD causes a quarter of all deaths in the UK with around one death every three minutes.

Explaining why he is such a keen supporter of patients participating in clinical trials Roger said: “At 11 years old, I found out I had heart disease, and have lived knowing that heart disease doesn’t have a type or an age limit. I have been fortunate to be able to achieve my dreams and not let heart disease stop me but others aren’t so lucky.

We all want to live a healthy life and those who have medical conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, want to be treated with the best possible treatments. Advances in medicine are constantly evolving therefore it is vitally important that as many people as possible take part in clinical research so that we can help improve the health of future generations. Without clinical trials, such as the ones taking place at Panthera, there would be no new medications.

I would urge anyone eligible to take part in cardiovascular disease research to take some time to find out how they can take part.”

Stuart Young, CEO of Panthera says “It is fantastic to have Roger’s support on our cardiovascular disease studies. Participation in clinical trials can not only have personal and altruistic benefits but also ensure that the UK remains a leading player in the development of new medicines and that UK patients get access to the most effective treatments. Clinical trial volunteers also gain access to regular health assessments and the opportunity to talk through their conditions with a doctor.”

Panthera is currently looking for volunteers to participate in clinical trials investigating potential new medicines for cardiovascular disease (CVD). For the studies Panthera is looking for volunteers who are aged between 18 – 80 who have had a diagnosis of heart attack, stroke, Ischaemic Stroke, Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) or peripheral vascular disease (PVD) in the last 10 years. Volunteers eligible to take part in the clinical trials will receive a complimentary health check and reimbursement for travel expenses.

Anyone interested in finding out more for themselves or a family member or friend, should contact the Panthera team on [email protected], 03300 553327 or apply at https://www.pantheraclinic.co.uk/cardiovascular-clinical-trials-2021/