By Ruth Suter
Copyright dailyrecord
A Scots dad dismissed days of chest pains as indigestion before being told by 999 crews he had suffered a heart attack . Pierre Bernard, 53, phoned NHS 24 after experiencing the aches in his chest for two days in September 2023. An ambulance was dispatched to his home in Forfar, Angus, after he complained of “mild” pains in his chest to call handlers. Paramedics arrived before telling him he had actually suffered a heart attack – leaving the dad-of-six stunned. Pierre was later given blood tests and an angiogram where they discovered the narrowing of a small artery in his heart. It was too small to stent , however, he was told he’d need to take medication for life and advised to consider his fitness. Two years on, Pierre, an organisational development facilitator for Angus Council, took part in the AJ Bell Great North Run for the British Heart Foundation (BHF). Speaking of the scary episode with his heart , Pierre said: “It has changed my life, and I feel fitter and healthier and don’t think I will ever stop running now. “During my stay in hospital, I was given a number of leaflets from the BHF which gave me advice and reassurance on my diagnosis and treatment. “I am very grateful for this information which was clear and easily understood. As a result of this, I made the decision to run the Great North Run .” Pierre Bernard joined a team of over 3,600 runners who took to the streets of Newcastle and South Shields on September 7. The iconic event raised over £523,000 for the BHF , which will enable the charity to continue to fund groundbreaking research into new treatments and cures for cardiovascular diseases, the world’s biggest killer. Pierre completed the gruelling 13-mile course in under two and a half hours and expects to raise almost £1000 for the heart charity . Upon crossing the finish line, Pierre said: “Taking part in the 2025 AJ Bell Great North Run for British Heart Foundation ( BHF ), was such a huge challenge and an incredible experience. The atmosphere around the course was electric and it was amazing having so many people cheering me on, it made me even more determined to cross the finish line. “I could feel the emotion especially as I got closer to the finish where my wife, three of the kids and my two-year-old grandson were there to meet me at the end . “The run itself was great, spectators cheered the whole way, and I’ve already put my name down for next year’s event .” David McColgan, Head of BHF Scotland, added: “It’s fantastic to see Pierre’s courage and determination in helping us fund lifesaving research. Without the dedication of our team of BHF runners and the commitment of people like Pierre, we wouldn’t be able to fund research that has already broken new ground, revolutionised treatments and transformed the lives of millions of people in the UK. “The stories of why our amazing supporters take part never fails to amaze me and it was incredible to see Pierre and all 3,600 other BHF runners take on the AJ Bell Great North Run to help save and improve lives.”
