Kiran Bhoday

My dad passed away in 2008 from cardiac arrest. He always had to be mindful of managing stress and watching what he ate, and growing up, I witnessed firsthand how serious his condition was. There were times he suffered strokes, and I had to rush him to the emergency room—experiences that deeply scared me and have stayed with me.

He meant everything to me. I wasn’t there when he passed, and receiving that phone call is something that will always stay with me.

That’s why awareness around strokes and cardiac arrest is so important. My runs and support for the Heart and Stroke foundation are in honour of my dad—and for everyone who has lost someone to heart disease.