Mollie Heyworth: Running for Matt
For Mollie Heyworth, running the London Marathon is deeply personal. She is taking on the challenge to raise awareness after myocarditis dramatically changed the life of her partner, Matt.
“My reason for running the marathon for Myocarditis UK is because myocarditis was the underlying cause of my partner’s subsequent arrhythmia, heart failure and ultimately the reason he needed a heart transplant in June 2025.”
Before Matt became ill, neither of them had heard of myocarditis. His symptoms were difficult to recognise and were initially mistaken for fatigue linked to his fitness levels.
This lack of awareness meant the condition went undiagnosed, eventually leading to a life-threatening emergency.
“Due to personal lack of awareness and symptoms overlapping with fatigue surrounding Matt’s fitness level, his myocarditis went undiagnosed leading to an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest at the age of 28.”
Matt survived the cardiac arrest, but the damage to his heart was severe. To manage dangerous arrhythmias, he had a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator (S-ICD) fitted, a device designed to shock the heart back into rhythm when life-threatening arrhythmias occur.
Despite this intervention, his condition continued to deteriorate.
“Matt’s heart continued to decline, and he is now living with a transplanted heart at the age of just 37.”
For Mollie, the marathon is an opportunity to turn a difficult experience into something positive. “Since understanding the catastrophic effects of myocarditis, I want to do my part in raising awareness for this dangerous and largely unknown illness.”
Mollie Heyworth is fundraising for Alexander Jansons Myocarditis UK
Ben Sleath: A Personal Challenge for a Powerful Cause
For Ben Sleath, taking on the London Marathon represents both a personal milestone and an opportunity to support a cause he believes in. Until recently, running wasn’t part of his life at all.
“Having never tried running before 2025, I wanted to set myself a challenge,” Ben explains. Since starting his fitness journey, Ben has transformed his lifestyle. “I am now 20kg lighter and have a newfound appreciation for fitness.”
Ben first learned about myocarditis after hearing Andy Jansons speak at a real estate conference in Lisbon. The talk left a lasting impression. “I hadn’t really heard of myocarditis before I heard Andy Jansons talk at a real estate conference in Lisbon. I found the talk moving and felt like it was a great cause.”
What stood out most to Ben was the importance of research and the need to better understand the condition. “With the funding of research making a meaningful impact – given how little is currently understood about the condition and the causes of it.”