After a charity challenge of traveling to 4 countries in 4 days and raising thousands of pounds for The British Heart Foundation (BHF), the Island’s very own Dana Edkins has been nominated for an Inspirational Heart Hero Award.
40-year-old Dana suffers from a rare heart condition which attacks the heart muscle and means she’s in the early stages of heart failure. Spurred on by her diagnosis, but unable to do any of the typical activities such as running, Dana decided to get creative to raise funds for the BHF.
As previously reported by Island Echo, Dana got together with 3 friends last year to see how far they could get from home without money or food. Dana went with her heart failure nurse and used social media and the generosity of strangers to travel across England, into Holland, onto Belgium and back through France. So far, Dana’s daring activities – which have also included a head shave and a school reunion – have raised £10,000 for the BHF to help fund research into heart failure.
Dana has said:
“I wanted to give something back for the specialist treatment I have been given both here on the Island and in London.
“I am truly grateful and even knowing I need a transplant in the future I have kept positive knowing there is amazing support and resources around. I will keep on doing what I can to raise money and awareness on heart disease, genetic conditions and heart failure whilst I can”.
Dana has now reached the public vote stage of the British Heart Foundation Heart Hero of 2017 award process and needs Islanders to vote for her inspirational story.
Votes can be cast until 15th April at https://www.bhf.org.uk/get-involved/in-your-area/heart-heroes/heart-heroes-south. The finalists will be announced on 21st April.
