Kieran’s amazing Trail of Two Hearts brings him to Angus

A heart transplant patient will walk the Angus coastline next week as part of a 5,000-mile trek around Britain to help raise £100,000 for the British Heart Foundation’s life-saving research.

Kieran Sandwell, 45, from Hertfordshire is taking on the Trail of Two Hearts to mark the end of his long battle with heart disease after having a heart transplant eight years ago.

After setting off on February 1 from the BHF office in London, the coast of Scotland will be his scenic exercise arena for the next four months.

He is set to arrive in the area on Monday and will visit Carnoustie, Arbroath and Montrose during his journey through the county.

In Angus alone, more than 16,000 people are living with heart and circulatory disease.

Kieran said: “The inspiration for my challenge came to me around 25 years ago, but then it was only something I could dream of because of my health.

“My second heart has enabled me to do so much and I’m urging the public to help me by sponsoring me or walking with me.”

Kieran’s battle with heart disease began when he was just three years old and had to have open heart surgery.

He suffered a heart attack at 13, then in his early twenties suffered two mini strokes.

By the time he reached 35, he was put on the transplant list for a new heart, undergoing the operation in July 2009.

Kathy McIlwaine, BHF Scotland fundraising manager for Dundee and Angus, said: “We never cease to be amazed by the incredible way our fundraisers raise money for our research, but Kieran’s coastline challenge is one of the biggest we’ve ever seen.”