2026 Annual Patient Event Programme released
Ahead of the 2026 Annual Patient Event to be held in Birmingham this week, our team has released the a packed event programme built around the patient journey.
This year’s programme brings together patients, surgeons, specialist nurses and other healthcare professionals to explore aortic dissection from the moment it happens through to the realities of living with the condition long term.
2026 Event Programme
The morning begins with “OMG, What just happened?”, looking at the experience of an aortic dissection through both patient and clinical eyes. We’ll hear a patient and surgeon narrative before Aortic Nurse Emma Hope takes us “From Heart to Toe”, explaining the aorta, how it works and what happens when something goes wrong. Professor Arun Pherwani will then look at recognising and diagnosing aortic dissection, as well as the challenge of understanding how many dissections actually occur. The session concludes with Rachel Martin sharing her experience of living with a Type B dissection in a fireside chat.
The focus then turns to “What can we do about it?”. Sessions explore the safe transfer of critically ill patients, the decisions involved when surgery is required, and the vital roles played by anaesthesia, perfusion and intensive care before, during and after major aortic surgery.
After lunch, and a moment to remember friends we have lost, we look towards options for change. Our speakers will consider whether better pathways and standard operating procedures could improve services, how virtual wards and technology might support patients at home, and whether patients need an aftercare manifesto to provide greater consistency and clarity throughout lifelong follow-up.
Finally, “Living with it – life after a dissection” tackles some of the very practical issues patients face after leaving hospital. We’ll look at driving and DVLA guidance, navigating the benefits system, and the impact of complications following aortic dissection. The final session brings a surgeon and patient together to discuss a challenging outcome before opening the conversation to questions from the audience.
Throughout the day, the emphasis is on bringing lived patient experience and clinical expertise together — helping patients and families better understand what has happened to them, what happens next, and what we can collectively do to improve aortic dissection care.
Please note that this year’s Annual Patient Event is a ticket-only event and is now fully booked. If you weren’t able to secure a place this year, make sure you’re signed up to our newsletter to be among the first to hear about future patient events, including details of where and when our next Annual Patient Event will take place.
