Running any marathon has been a challenge on my bucket list for some time, so when an email came round at work asking if anyone would like to run the iconic London race for our new national charity – the British Hearth Foundation – I was quick to agree. It soon became apparent that with only a couple of months to go I was either brave or mad to take on such a challenge.

Working at Mattioli Woods I have seen several national charity partnerships however, teaming up with the BHF resonated with me. I’ve friends who have conducted some amazing research for the charity – including developing drugs to help the cause – so they have always been a charity I hold close to my heart (pun intended!).

Knowing that this will also be something that goes towards specialists assisting a colleague of mine, Nathan Smith, also brings the cause a bit closer to home. You can read Nathan’s story below.

Looking at the training plan it seems I should have given myself at least four months so starting at two months was always going to be a challenge, but one I’ve already started working on!

Like most people running their first marathon there are things I need to learn – how to use gels for instance! – as well as ensuring my mental wellbeing is looked after.

Over the next few weeks I’ll be keeping you updated on my training, how much I’ve raised and my biggest challenge – how little junk food I’ve eaten! You can also keep up to date via @MattioliWoods on Instagram where the team will be posting updates of my progress.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and that of Nathan and the British Heart Foundation. Thank you also for your donations and good wishes and for helping me reach my goal of £2,500!

Nathan’s story

I found out I had a heart condition at 21 years of age and I have been taken care of by our amazing doctors and nurses ever since. Over the last 8-9 years, I have seen technology constantly improving, which has meant that scans and tests aren’t as invasive as they used to be. When I first found out about my heart condition, I was told I would need open heart surgery, which would involve a cut down the centre of my chest and the opening of the rib cage. As you can imagine that is scary itself, never mind the 2–3-month recovery process, assuming there are no infections or complications. However, thanks to amazing charities like the British Heart Foundation, funding for ongoing research and development, new methods and technology are now available which should allow for me to have surgery without the need to open my chest. This means that the recovery is quicker, there is less pain and less scaring. There is also less chance of an infection or complications. The heart valves have also improved thanks to research which mean there are now heart valves which last a lifetime, avoiding further major surgeries.

The British Heart Foundation provide videos to support patients and their families before and after surgery, as well as forums where you can speak to others going through similar treatment. The charity also provides training and information on CPR to save lives, and awareness of potential warning signs to look out for, to avoid emergencies and to allow people to get treatment to prevent an emergency or death.

I have spoken to many clients who have had treatment recently and have explained how quickly they were able to recover, due to advanced treatment, methods, and medication. Without charities like the British Heart Foundation, we wouldn’t have the technology we have now, nor the information to allow us to learn more about the heart.

Mattioli Woods and the British Heart Foundation

Over the next two years the BHF will be working with Mattioli Woods to not only raise funds but to also help shine a spotlight on the importance of focusing on our health and wellbeing, ensuring everyone gains a stronger understanding of their own heart health.

Mattioli Woods will also be creating a lifesaving partnership legacy by encouraging every employee to learn CPR so they have the skills and confidence to save a life, should they ever have to.

Heart attacks that strike without warning, strokes which shatter futures, new-born babies born with broken hearts. These are just some of the cruelties of heart and circulatory diseases. The brutal reality is there is so much more for science to discover before we can beat the world’s biggest killers.

That’s why the British Heart Foundation exists. Funding research is how we change the game. Joining together, we make the impossible possible.

Research can save your life and your family’s lives. But without you it all stops. Medical breakthroughs don’t just happen. Driven by love, your donations and the awe-inspiring science we fund, we make science fiction a reality, together.