Looking back, moving forward: a decade of impact, progress and hope
Beat SCAD marked its tenth anniversary on 7 November 2025, and following on from our First 5 years (2015-2020) review), we’re proud to reflect on another remarkable five years of progress, powered entirely by our dedicated volunteers and generous supporters. From 2021 to 2025, we’ve continued to make progress with our mission to raise awareness of Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD), support those affected by it, and fund vital research to better understand this still-too-often misunderstood condition.
At the fifth Beat SCAD Conference in October 2025, we premiered a video celebrating the charity’s first decade of achievements – watch here.
Here’s an overview of the Beat SCAD community’s achievements during our first decade. And click here for our Strategic Plan for 2026-2030.
Raising awareness
Increasing knowledge of SCAD by patients, the public, healthcare professionals and policymakers remains a key objective and we’ve made a positive impact and encouraging progress.
Medical education: We’ve collaborated with clinicians to create up-to-date materials (leaflets, booklets, textbook chapters, videos), and we have delivered training to healthcare professionals (paramedics, midwives, GPs) to ensure current SCAD understanding is shared and patient stories are told so that lessons can be learned from good and bad experiences.
Media presence: SCAD stories have appeared in national and regional media, including TV, radio, podcasts and print. Every story told helps dispel myths and raise the profile of this condition.
Online reach: Our website and social channels continue to grow, sharing trustworthy information and patient voices with thousands worldwide. We've launched new video content, infographics and downloadable resources for both patients and professionals.
Supporting SCAD patients and their families
The SCAD experience is life changing, and no one should go through it alone.
Online support: The private Facebook groups continue to be a safe, supportive space for SCAD patients and their loved ones, with membership steadily growing. Beat SCAD trustees are on hand as group administrators to signpost to resources and offer peer support, empathy and practical advice. The groups are a success because the SCAD community understands each other and shares the drive and passion to support each other through this life-changing experience.
Charity events: We hosted multiple online and in-person events, including Q&A sessions with SCAD experts, wellbeing workshops and meet-ups, creating valuable opportunities for connection and learning.
New resources: We developed a series of downloadable guides to help patients and loved ones navigate diagnosis, recovery and life after SCAD. These resources are freely available to anyone affected.
Funding and promoting research
At the heart of Beat SCAD’s mission is the drive to unlock the mysteries of SCAD and, thanks to our incredible army of inspirational supporters, we’ve been able to make a meaningful contribution to that goal.
Research funding: During our first decade, we’ve awarded over £425,100 to fund SCAD research projects led by Dr David Adlam at Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, including critical contributions to salary costs for two Clinical Research Fellows and a Research Assistant, in addition to supporting important sub-studies investigating imaging, genetics, and proteomics.
Patient involvement: We’ve facilitated patient recruitment for studies, ensuring those with lived experience help shape the future of SCAD research.
Global collaboration: We started building and strengthening relationships with international SCAD researchers and advocacy groups to share findings and drive global progress.
10-year financial summary
Considering the SCAD community is relatively small, Beat SCAD’s first decade has delivered an incredible financial achievement with a total gross income of over £588,600. Annual gross income has been variable, ranging from £25,450 to £91,670 (rounded figures). The drive and dedication of our magnificent supporters has enabled us to make significant research funding awards (over £425,100 so far). Dr David Adlam has extended thanks to the community and stated: ‘Without Beat SCAD, things would have come to an end. Beat SCAD has been utterly instrumental in allowing us to continue.’
When the trustees first launched the charity in 2015, the aim was to donate a minimum of 60% of funds to research, with the remaining 40% split between awareness and support mission area activities plus charity running costs. After our first five years, 84.4% of expenditure went to research. By the end of our first decade, 79.4% was spent on research – still surpassing the original aim of 60%.
Charity running costs have increased in relation to banking charges, computer software, insurance, legal and professional fees – all of which are essential to maintaining high levels of governance to ensure the charity adheres to legislation. A major contributor to increased costs during the second half of the decade was the Beat SCAD website further to a re-design project and a change to hosting and support services. Although this has been considered within the running costs, the website is an essential tool for our mission to raise awareness, provide support, promote research, and fundraise, so the money used may also be considered within the other charitable activities category. The trustees remain committed to minimising the running costs.
Powered by volunteers, fuelled by passion
Beat SCAD is run entirely by volunteers: people who’ve experienced SCAD or been affected by it in some way. With no paid staff, we keep our overheads low, ensuring the maximum amount of every donation goes directly toward our charitable work, especially funding research.
This community spirit remains the beating heart of everything we do.
Looking ahead
As we look to the future, our goals remain clear: to ensure no one affected by SCAD feels alone, to improve diagnosis and treatment, and to support the research that will one day lead to prevention and cure.
Thank you to everyone who’s been part of our first decade, whether you’ve shared your story, volunteered your time, completed a fundraising activity, donated, or simply followed along. Together, we’ve made real progress. Together, we will beat SCAD.
Here’s to the next decade where we continue with hope, partnership, progress and empowerment.