Hello,

On 28th October 2018 I will be running the Dublin marathon with a friend, Eddie Duffy. We have been training for some time and have decided that we should make the most of it and try to raise some money for charity. We have decided to raise money for a heart condition called Atrial Fibrillation (AF). This is more common in older people and affects 7 in 100 people over the age of 65. We have chosen AF as my brother was diagnosed 2 years ago at the age of 31. I can only describe this as a frightening condition because at his young age he is now taking blood thinning medication due to the increased risk of stroke.

There is a link below where you can make a donation. Any amount at all is welcome. I have also included some information below on Atrial Fibrillation. All donations will be passed to The Cardiac Unit in the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen.

AF – Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition that causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate. A normal heart rate should be regular and between 60 and 100 beats a minute when you're resting. In AF, the heart rate is irregular and can sometimes be very fast. In some cases, it can be considerably higher than 100 beats a minute. (I have seen my brothers reach 192 at one point!!) Atrial fibrillation occurs when abnormal electrical impulses suddenly start firing in the atria. These impulses override the heart's natural pacemaker, which can no longer control the rhythm of the heart. This causes you to have a highly irregular pulse rate and causes symptoms such as palpitations, fatigue, dizziness, weakness and shortness of breath.

My brother has already had electrical physiology studies aimed at burning abnormal circuits of the heart and destroying areas of the heart that trigger these arrhythmias which unfortunately was unsuccessful. He takes medications to slow down his heart rate and control the rhythm of his heart. As a father of two young children his life has been affected since his diagnosis he has made lifestyle modifications and he carries an alivecor device that allows him to monitor ecg tracings which he can send to his consultant which in turn allows them to manage his heart health. He is due to see a specialist again shortly and will most likely need another procedure.