Designer Goddard helps launch V&A gallery
ONE of British fashion’s brightest stars is helping the V&A launch its Exhibition Road Quarter.
Molly Goddard’s designs, which have been worn by celebrities including Rihanna, will feature in a catwalk show at the museum in South Kensington. It is part of the week-long Reveal festival celebrating the opening of a new gallery and courtyard and an entrance to the Vic- torian building from Exhibition Road. There will be live music, art exhibitions and dance performances in and around the museum — inspired by its collection — from June 30 to July 7.
Work on the scheme started three years ago. The museum’s director, Tristram Hunt, said: “The completion of the V&A’s Exhibition Road Quarter is a hugely exciting moment for the her GP. “I was experiencing blurred vision and feeling sick and dizzy,” she said. “[The hospital] were going to discharge me, putting it down to flu-like symptoms in pregnancy, when doctors looking at the scan said they had found this tear in the aorta. In 10 minutes I was in an ambulance being blue-lighted to St George’s.
“Fewer than 50 per cent of people survive more than six hours. Most don’t even make it to hospital. It was really frightening. The doctors wouldn’t even let me move to go to the bathroom because they were so worried I would suffer a heart attack. I was lucky, it was only because I was pregnant that they did the extra ultrasound scans. They were saying my baby sort of saved my life.”
On Febuary 10, Jake was delivered by Professor Basky Thilaganathan then a cardiac team took over led by Professor Marjan Jahangiri, and including consultant anaesthetist Dr Renate Wendler and chief perfusionist Simon Phillips, a specialist in heart-lung procedures. Mrs Fisher was put on a heart-lung machine, her heart was stopped for 60 minutes, her body cooled to 18C to protect her V&A. Our largest architectural intervention for 100 years revives the pioneering spirit of Albertopolis, reconnecting us to Exhibition Road and our world-class cultural partners.
“I am delighted to announce 30 June as the public opening of London’s latest cultural landmark. That week we also launch our exciting Reveal festival, which will celebrate this stunning fusion of history and modernity, art and performance, tradition and innovation — as only the V&A can.” brain and other organs from damage, and part of her aorta was replaced with an artificial “pipe”.
Professor Jahangiri said: “It’s one of the most challenging operations. That is why I really enjoy being part of the NHS — we bash it all the time, but when [the surgery] is so complex, it cannot be done anywhere else.
“These 22 people, more than half were not on duty. With one phone call everybody came in. There was not a single word of conversation. We decided what we were going to do then everything was done in total silence. Absolute calm and organisation.
“To GPs and people who do screening: if a young person presents with chest pain, look for this.”
Mrs Fisher and husband David, 36, a HGV driver, have another son, Jamie, five. She was able to hold Jake four days after the operation and they were discharged two days later. “Jake and I are so grateful to the teams at St George’s and the Royal Berkshire,” she said. “Jake is a perfect little boy, and I feel lucky to be alive.” @RossLydall