Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Australia, and I want to do something to support the thousands of Aussies whose lives are impacted by this disease every single day.

Throughout October I will be walking at least 42km and raising money for a cause very close and personal to me - Heart Disease. 

 Brendan passed away from Dilated Idiopathic- Cardiomyopathy - A disease of the heart muscle that affects the hearts ability to pump blood around the body and remove excess fluid. Patients with cardiomyopathy are often misdiagnosed and go untreated causing further irreparable damage which ultimately leads to heart failure. The causes of cardiomyopathy vary and can be caused from some types of infections (ie diabetes or pneumonia), obesity, high blood pressure, high iron or like in Brendan's case - it is also hereditary. 

In the early stages of the disease there may be no signs or symptoms, as the condition progresses and becomes more advance the symptoms start to show. These include Breathlessness without activity, swelling in the legs, bloating and swelling of the abdomen, coughing, difficulty laying flat, fatigue, irregular heartbeats - often feels rapid, pounding and fluttering, feeling pressure in the chest and dizziness. Often refered to as a 'Dry Drowning' - Can you imagine being in the constant state of feeling like your drowning and unable to catch your breath 

When Brendan was first diagnosed in 2017 after he had already reached the advanced stage, he had a heart function of 15-17%. The average Australian adult has a heart function between 40-60%. The doctors drained 21kgs of excess fluid from around his heart and lungs and he was placed on fluid restricted diet. He was only allowed to consume 1l of fluid each 24hr period - Fluid includes things like custard, yoghurt, pasta etc... Brendan went onto the heart transplant list January 2017, but unfortunately was never compatible. 

 The complications that Dilated Cardiomyopathy can cause include: Hearth Failure, Leaky heart valves, arrhythmias, cardiac arrest, blood clots and kidney failure (due to the medication). Brendan suffered all of these except for blood clots. The treatment for Kindney Failure is not compatible with the medication needed for heart failure and cannot be take at the same time. A person with the advance stages of cardio-myopathy cannot survive without taking the medication for their heart. Once a person reaches the advance/late stages of heart failure they are often too weak to be put under anesthetic making the operation a failure.  

 We are all at risk of developing heart disease and this is my timely reminder that I Need to get out more.