## Daughter Recounts Tragic Loss of Her Father During Family Run as Wales Faces Heart Health Crisis
A young woman from Caerleon, Newport, has shared the harrowing experience of losing her father to a sudden and undiagnosed heart condition while the pair were out running. Sioned Thomas, now 28, describes the day in 2019 as “frightening” and says the memory still haunts her, underscoring a broader crisis in cardiac health across Wales.
Grahaeme Thomas was just 51 when he died after suffering a cardiac arrest whilst on a family holiday. According to Sioned, her father, who was once a keen rugby player and regularly active, gave little indication that anything was wrong. “It happened so quickly, I just didn’t know what to do,” Sioned recalls. After his untimely passing, it was discovered that Grahaeme had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a genetic heart condition that can often go unnoticed until tragedy strikes.
Reflecting on that devastating day, Sioned shared how she had accompanied her father for a run in France, a decision she made at the last minute. The memory of witnessing her father collapse plays on her mind: “He was fit and healthy, always out running. There were no signs.” The shock and immediate chaos left her terrified and at a loss on how to help.
The unexpected loss has led to significant changes for the Thomas family. Both Sioned and her sister Angharad, 30, now undergo regular heart check-ups to monitor for the same inherited condition. The British Heart Foundation estimates that more than 6,000 people in Wales may be living with HCM, a large number of them probably undiagnosed.
Sioned has since channelled her grief into activism, raising awareness and fundraising for the British Heart Foundation (BHF). She has participated in multiple Cardiff Half Marathons, motivated by the hope of sparing other families from similar heartbreak. “Running isn’t something that came naturally to me,” she admits, “but doing this for Dad makes me feel closer to him. I know the research could benefit my family in future, if either me or my sister inherit the same condition.”
The Thomas family’s story comes at a time when Wales faces what experts are calling its “worst start to a decade for heart health in over fifty years.” Recent figures from the BHF show a marked rise in deaths from cardiovascular disease amongst working-age adults. The number of diagnoses for related conditions, including heart failure and atrial fibrillation, has also surged, reaching record highs.
Since 2020, the number of people in Wales diagnosed with heart failure has increased by 18% to over 42,000. Cases of atrial fibrillation have grown by 8%, and diabetes—which is a significant risk factor for heart disease—is up by 9%. The number of people awaiting cardiac procedures has nearly doubled, rising from just over 20,000 in 2020 to more than 38,000 in early 2025.
Statistics reveal a troubling jump in mortality rates. In 2023, there were 69 cardiac deaths per 100,000 people in Wales—a significant increase from 61 per 100,000 just four years previously. This has resulted in an average of 25 deaths each week, and Wales now has the highest cardiovascular death rate of any nation in the UK.
In response to these alarming trends, the BHF has called for urgent investment in innovative research, including artificial intelligence, genomics, and novel data science methods, to help revolutionise prevention and treatment. Rhodri Thomas, head of BHF Cymru, stressed the gravity of the situation: “We are at a critical point but now, more than ever, we have an opportunity to reverse this trend through science and research.”
For Sioned and many others, supporting the BHF’s mission is both personal and pressing. “If our story can help raise awareness, or even save one life, then Dad’s loss won’t be in vain,” she says. She hopes that greater understanding and earlier diagnosis of inherited conditions like HCM will soon become a reality for families across Wales.
The Welsh Government has been approached for comment regarding the current state of heart health in the nation. Meanwhile, campaigners, health professionals, and affected families continue to push for a collective effort to prevent further tragedy.