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On April 16, the heart of Rouen beat to the rhythm of prevention. On the forecourt of the Cathedral, the Alain Cribier Institute, together with Rouen University Hospital and Alliance du Cœur, transformed a complex public health issue into a unique human and educational experience.
A look back at a record-breaking day that reflects the very purpose of our Institute: medical excellence for all.
It all begins with a paradox. Behind the familiar term “heart murmur” lie heart valve diseases, conditions that now affect 13 million people in Europe.
The tragedy of these diseases lies in how silent they can be: fatigue or shortness of breath are too often dismissed as simply “part of getting older”. As Professor Hélène Eltchaninoff, Medical Director of the Institute, explains:
“We need to put an end to this misconception: getting breathless is not an inevitable consequence of ageing; it can be a sign of a heart problem. People do not die of old age; they often die from a condition that went unnoticed.”
To break this silence, the Institute did more than share information: it deployed a true local outreach clinic. The 2026 edition of Heart Murmur Day marked a turning point in terms of operational impact:
The reason this day was such a success is that it was not an isolated initiative. It was the concrete expression of the legacy of Professor Alain Cribier, inventor of TAVI. It embodies the four pillars that structure our Institute:
The relevance of this cause was widely covered in the media, confirming the strong interest of civil society in our mission.
The success of this day proves one thing: when we reach out to people, we save lives. But to turn these one-off successes into a lasting medical revolution, your support is key.
By becoming a donor or partner of the Institut Alain Cribier, you are not only funding state-of-the-art equipment or research cohorts; you are helping innovation move beyond hospital walls to protect those we care about.
On April 16, the heart of Rouen beat to the rhythm of prevention. On the forecourt of the Cathedral, the Alain Cribier Institute, together with Rouen University Hospital and Alliance du Cœur, transformed a complex public health issue into a unique human and educational experience.
A look back at a record-breaking day that reflects the very purpose of our Institute: medical excellence for all.
Professor Alain Cribier (1945–2024) is universally recognized as one of the greatest innovators in modern cardiology. His name is inseparable from a major medical revolution: the development of percutaneous treatment for heart valve disease, and in particular transcatheter aortic valve implantation, known as TAVI.
The Alain Cribier Institute was born from an exceptional medical history, but also from a shared determination to structure and extend a unique legacy in the field of heart valve disease.
On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, Professor Hélène Eltchaninoff, Head of Cardiology at Rouen University Hospital, received the Danièle-Hermann Prize at the Palais de l’Institut de France. Awarded by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (Institut de France), the prize includes €30,000 and recognizes a career dedicated to medical innovation and research in cardiovascular disease, particularly heart valve disease.
Heart valve disease is increasing as the population ages. Today, nearly 30 million people worldwide are estimated to be living with heart valve disease, a number that could double by 2050. In Europe, more than 10% of people over age 75 are believed to have moderate to severe valve disease.
