A 41-year-old who suffered a heart attack in Enniskillen three years ago is taking part in a fundraising challenge for British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland.
Nigel Armstrong from Coleraine will take on a water cycle challenge on the River Bann on 29 September which is World Heart Day and three years since he took ill during a Parkrun in the Co Fermanagh town.
The dad of three suffered the heart attack on World Heart Day in 2018 and says he had been taking part in the run but stopped at the South West Acute Hospital as his condition worsened.
“I had just completed the Parkrun when I began to feel unwell and felt that real crushing pain in my chest,” Nigel said.
“I stopped at the SWAH, and it was there in A&E they confirmed I’d had a heart attack and I was sent up to the high dependency unit.
“Two days later I had my first stent fitted. Over the course of the next eight months, I ended up having five more stents fitted so it was quite a journey to getting well again.”
The Co Derry businessman said it was thanks to the support of his family and taking part in rehabilitation that he began to recover.
“It obviously was a worrying time for my family. But I had fantastic support from my wife and three children.
“I also found my cardiac rehab at Causeway Hospital to be invaluable.
“They gave me the confidence to get exercising again afterwards and gave me so much mental support too as after a heart attack you can feel like your life has been turned upside down.”
Nigel said he has organised the World Heart Day challenge to raise vital funds for future heart research.
“I have directly benefited from BHF research, and I want to give something back as well as raise money that will help save more lives in the future.
“I don’t think there’s a better day to do it than World Heart Day which will be exactly three years after I had my own heart attack.
“The 12 hour water cycle will be a real challenge but I’m really looking forward to it. It would be great to have some support on the day and have some local people taking part.”
