From Patient to Advocate

I never imagined that I would one day become part of the statistics I now work to change.

My life changed when I was diagnosed with an Ascending Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm and Severe Aortic Regurgitation, a life threatening condition that required a complex Bentall Procedure, including replacement of my diseased Aorta and Aortic valve with a Tissue valve.

What began as a personal medical journey soon became something much bigger. I discovered a reality that deeply concerned me : awareness of aortic disease remains alarmingly low.

Too many people have never heard of an aortic aneurysm.

Too many patients remain undiagnosed.

Too many families are unaware of the warning signs.

Too many lives are altered by conditions that often remain silent until they become catastrophic.

An aortic dissection can become fatal within hours. An aneurysm may remain undetected for years. A simple lack of awareness can become the difference between life and death.

Having experienced first hand the fear, uncertainty, and challenges that accompany aortic disease, I felt compelled to turn my personal journey into a mission that could help others.

The India Aortic Health Alliance was born from a simple but powerful conviction:

No patient should lose their life because aortic disease was not recognised in time.

Through awareness, education, advocacy, patient support, and collaboration, we seek to empower patients, engage communities, and ensure that more lives are saved through early diagnosis and timely treatment.

Together, we have an opportunity to change the future of aortic health in India one patient, one family, and one life at a time.

Shezad Sharif
Founder & Director, Appletree Health Foundation
Bentall Procedure Recipient | Aortic Disease Survivor | Patient Advocate