A FORMER Raglan resident is preparing to run the London Marathon in support of a heart charity that helped her husband.

Tanith Galer (formerly Sullivan) is running the marathon in support of the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) that helped her husband Darren when he had a cardiac arrest four years ago at the age of 36.

Trained in first aid, Tanith attempted to perform CPR but his heart could not be restarted for almost half an hour. “He was rushed to hospital and was in a coma for weeks,” Tanith said. “We knew that for the first few days he had a less than 10 per cent chance of survival.

Darren is very fortunate, and, as he gradually woke up his family were made aware of how few people survive such as event.

“He gradually woke up, and is one of the very few survivors of such an event,” Tanith adds. “He had to learn to walk and talk again. He was in hospital and rehabilitation centres for over seven months.”

Since waking up, Tanith’s husband has been left with life-changing injuries, despite his good health. “He has spasticity and mobility issues in his left side and brain injuries,” she added. "He had no prior symptoms and was in good health. He never smoked, and he exercised regularly."

CRY has provided a screening programme for over two decades and now tests over 20,000 young people aged 14 to 35 every year in the UK. CRY’s team of experts offer screening to young people in the community as well as elite athletes and works with a number of professional sporting bodies including the English Institute of Sport, the RFU, LTA and a number of FA teams, as well as Team GB during the 2012 London Olympics.

Every week, 12 apparently fit and healthy young people aged 35 and under die from a previously undiagnosed heart condition. In 80 per cent of cases, there will have been no signs or symptoms, which is why CRY believes proactive cardiac screening is so vitally important.

The 2016 London Marathon will be the first time that Tanith has taken part in the event, although she ran the Ealing Half Marathon in 2015 with her sister Kirsty.

To donate to Tanith’s fundraising page, visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/TanithGaler

To find out more about CRY and details of the services it provides, call 01737 363222 or visit www.c-r-y.org.uk