Two proud sisters from Derrylin in County Fermanagh are taking part in the Belfast Marathon next month to honour the memory of their father, who tragically died of a cardiac arrest 10 years ago.
Michelle Smith, 34, and her sister Breege Cassidy, 32 will take to the start line at Stormont on Sunday 4th May to raise awareness of the impact of sudden cardiac death.
Their dad John was only 59 when he died and should have been celebrating his 60th birthday the following year. The siblings are determined to help raise funds for British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland (BHF NI) to improve treatments and find cures for heart and circulatory conditions.
Michelle, a mum of two young boys and primary school teacher, says: “Daddy died 10 years ago, on 27th November 2015.
“Mammy had just came home from work, Daddy was sitting in the kitchen watching The Late Late Toy Show as he did every year.
“My two sisters were at home in the sitting room. Mammy went to make a phonecall and when she came back into the kitchen, he was lying on the floor.”
Within the space of five minutes of Michelle’s mum leaving the room, her dad had got up and then collapsed. Michelle’s youngest sister Eimear who was at home and had first aid training, began CPR and the family called the ambulance.
Devastatingly, John’s life could not be saved.
Michelle adds: “Daddy had been at work that day at Encirc and was feeling 100% – there was no warning, it was totally out of the blue. It was such a shock for the whole family as he had never had any heart issues or high blood pressure.”
When the post-mortem results came back, they confirmed that John had a heart condition called Cardiomegaly, which is an enlarged heart.
Michelle admits: “The doctors said there was no saving daddy and nothing that could have been done in that moment. He would have gone out like a light and that gives us some comfort to know he wasn’t in pain.
“The condition could be inherited and there is a high possibility it could run on in generations, so both my siblings and I were brought to the Miles Frost genetic testing unit in Belfast City Hospital. We received genetic testing and are being monitored every five years to check for any possible thickening or enlargement of the heart muscle.”
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) took the life of Miles Frost, Sir David Frost’s son, without warning. In his memory, the BHF and the Frost family set up the Miles Frost Fund, a UK-wide programme to increase access to genetic testing services for people suspected of having the condition. The Inherited Cardiac Conditions Service in the Belfast Trust was the first in the UK to benefit from the funding.
Michelle continues: “As this year marks 10 years since Daddy’s sudden passing, myself and Breege have decided to run the Belfast City Marathon together, on the 4th of May, to raise vital funds for BHF NI.
“We’re very grateful to have a service such as the Miles Frost Unit, Daddy didn’t have that opportunity.
“Daddy was a healthy man, a big strong man who worked hard for his family. It was a real eye-opener to people when he died so suddenly that everyone needs to be aware of their heart health.
“The saddest part is that all he ever wanted was to see his five children grow up and do well in life. This heart condition robbed us of that, he didn’t get to see any of us get married and he didn’t have the chance to meet his grandchildren.
“Mammy and Daddy were inseparable so it was a huge shock. Daddy also had a farm and my brother Jonathan had to take that over, so it had a big impact on our lives and his.
“He was a larger-than-life character, the life and soul of the room and 10 years on, we still miss him deeply so we wanted to do something special for the 10th anniversary of his passing.”
When Michelle and Breege signed up to the Belfast Marathon they had a target of £500 to raise for the BHF NI, but have fully exceeded that, raising nearly £6,000 and continuing to gather support.
Michelle said: “I’m not a runner but what is getting me through the training is the generosity of the people who have donated. It’s been amazing to know we can do something to help fund research that improves treatment and finds cures for families living with inherited heart conditions.
“It has also brought up so many stories of Daddy, from colleagues of his and friends. It will be a challenge to complete the marathon but we will have a lot of support from family and friends. It will be lovely to use the event to celebrate together all the precious time we had with him and the memories we have.”
To donate to Michelle and Breege’s fundraising page, visit:
www.justgiving.com/page/…WtGmqA
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