An Ontario man is biking across Canada to raise awareness about an inherited cardiac disease that kills without warning.
Adam Hoerdt’s wife Jackie died at the age of 31 from arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy or ARVC.
In 2018, his 20-year-old Greg, suffered his first cardiac arrest.
“The electrophysiologist kind put pieces together. ‘Oh, Mom died of the same thing. Ok, let’s look a little further.’ Genetic testing revealed at that time, seventeen years after Jackie’s death that
both Greg and Jackie had a genetic mutation known to be responsible for this disease,” Hoerdt said.
His cycling tour began in Newfoundland and Labrador.
“Newfoundlanders know the disease very well. Every Newfoundlander I talked to knows 8 or 10 people who have died of sudden cardiac arrest. It’s rampant on Newfoundland. The research team at Memorial has done a ton to try and find the history of it,” Hoerdt said.
He called the response “remarkable” with people from remote fishing villages driving 90 minutes just to speak to him for 5 minutes on the highway.
“‘Thank you for doing this. It’s in my family. We have no where to turn. We’re behind you,’” Hoerdt said.
Adam Hoerdt is cycling across Canada to help inform people about arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.
Image supplied by ARVC Family Support.
Hoerdt said the purpose of the ride is to raise awareness for the general public and for general practioners and cardiologists.
“Through the series of cardiologists we’ve been too, we’ve been given concerning advice because they didn’t know,” Hoerdt said.
He said the ride also intends to create a family research network and to raise money for research.
After spending time in Nova Scotia and PEI, the ARVC Ride has stops in New Brunswick before moving onto Quebec and Ontario.
