Myocarditis UK

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Ben Sleath

Ben Sleath

My Story

Having spent most of my real estate career drinking beer and getting fat, this should prove a suitably challenging event to complete.

So why am I doing this? While at Shedmasters in Lisbon last year, I heard Andy Jansons give a moving talk about the charity he had founded in response to the sudden death of Alexander Jansons from Myocarditis in July 2013, at the age of 18. They offered places to represent them in the marathon and it felt like something I could make a real impact on. I signed up there and then.

Myocarditis is a disease that causes inflammation of the heart muscle, most commonly caused by a virus, such as the flu or Covid-19, or another viral infection.

Whist classified as a rare disease, it is estimated to affect 1.8 million adults and children around the world each year. Because many are unfamiliar with the condition, Myocarditis UK was established to help fund research that is transforming the way myocarditis is diagnosed, treated, and even prevented in the future.

In recent years, myocarditis has become a growing concern, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. One UK study found that around 5% of people develop new-onset myocarditis within six months after a COVID infection. 

Myocarditis can be fatal, as inflammation weakens the heart muscle and disrupts its electrical system, potentially causing sudden cardiac arrest, severe heart failure, or fatal arrhythmias. While often self-resolving or treatable, severe cases can cause permanent heart damage and account for nearly 20% of sudden deaths in young people.

The Marathon

The London Marathon has become an annual, inspiring and colourful fixture in the world’s sporting calendar since the inaugural race on 29 March 1981: a celebration of fun, fundraising and fancy dress.

Over the years more than a million people have completed the 26.2-mile course – which runs from Blackheath to The Mall, with a spectacular finish in front of Buckingham Palace, showcasing the very best that the capital city has to offer.

What’s more, these participants have raised over a billion pounds for charity and there have been countless amazing tales of human achievement throughout the event’s history – living up to its aim of helping participants ‘to have fun, and provide some happiness and sense of achievement in a troubled world’.

Myocarditis UK

Raising for:

Myocarditis UK
134%

Funded

  • Target
    £10K
  • Raised so far
    £13.4K
  • Number of donors
    128

My Story

Having spent most of my real estate career drinking beer and getting fat, this should prove a suitably challenging event to complete.

So why am I doing this? While at Shedmasters in Lisbon last year, I heard Andy Jansons give a moving talk about the charity he had founded in response to the sudden death of Alexander Jansons from Myocarditis in July 2013, at the age of 18. They offered places to represent them in the marathon and it felt like something I could make a real impact on. I signed up there and then.

Myocarditis is a disease that causes inflammation of the heart muscle, most commonly caused by a virus, such as the flu or Covid-19, or another viral infection.

Whist classified as a rare disease, it is estimated to affect 1.8 million adults and children around the world each year. Because many are unfamiliar with the condition, Myocarditis UK was established to help fund research that is transforming the way myocarditis is diagnosed, treated, and even prevented in the future.

In recent years, myocarditis has become a growing concern, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. One UK study found that around 5% of people develop new-onset myocarditis within six months after a COVID infection. 

Myocarditis can be fatal, as inflammation weakens the heart muscle and disrupts its electrical system, potentially causing sudden cardiac arrest, severe heart failure, or fatal arrhythmias. While often self-resolving or treatable, severe cases can cause permanent heart damage and account for nearly 20% of sudden deaths in young people.

The Marathon

The London Marathon has become an annual, inspiring and colourful fixture in the world’s sporting calendar since the inaugural race on 29 March 1981: a celebration of fun, fundraising and fancy dress.

Over the years more than a million people have completed the 26.2-mile course – which runs from Blackheath to The Mall, with a spectacular finish in front of Buckingham Palace, showcasing the very best that the capital city has to offer.

What’s more, these participants have raised over a billion pounds for charity and there have been countless amazing tales of human achievement throughout the event’s history – living up to its aim of helping participants ‘to have fun, and provide some happiness and sense of achievement in a troubled world’.