Professor Jane Somerville, who has been coming to Malta several times a year as consultant in congenital heart disease, is Emeritus Professor of Cardiology at Imperial College, London, having been a consultant cardiologist on the staff at the Royal Brompton and originally The National Heart Hospital.

She is acknowledged worldwide as a pioneer for the best care for those who grow up with congenital heart disease - GUCHs, she calls them; the adults and adolescents whose lives have been saved, mostly by cardiac surgery, now by other means.

Prof. Somerville has been honoured by the World Heart Federation, the principal representative body for the global cardiovascular community, representing more than 200 heart foundations, scientific societies, civil society and patient organizations from over 100 countries.

Prof.  Somerville has received many awards for her remarkable accomplishments. We congratulate her on behalf our communities. She had the following remarks to make in accepting the award.

"President Karen Sliwa, members of the board of trustees, of the World Heart Federation, dear colleagues and friends from far and wide, I am much honoured by your unexpected award. It is wonderful to have this recognition from the organisation responsible for the World Congress of Cardiology, so important for disseminating and sharing new knowledge and helping the care and prevention of heart disease in the WORLD. I am sorry not to be with you to receive this in person.

My efforts as a Cardiologist always have always been focussed on congenital heart diseases and paediatric cardiology with a special interest on the results of surgical treatment. The diseases of the heart know no borders.  So it is particularly pleasing to me, especially when unrecognised at home in UK, to receive this prestigious international award. I do appreciate it.

 I am sure it is known that I have been your critic, voicing concerns about WHF not showing  adequate or demonstrable interest in congenital heart disease or children.  So thank you for being so generous to me.

Nevertheless,  I hope as  the sun sets on my six decades in medicine that this award heralds a new dawn of interest from your distinguished federation, in those  special patients with congenital heart problems, of all ages, all genders, everywhere in this  complex world."