'A life-changing event': Island woman with rare condition receives surprise donation

Shelly Keenan remembers her first cardiac event vividly.

The Souris mother of three was running up the length of the ice during a public skate to help one of the children tie their skates.

She began to feel dizzy and lightheaded, her heart was racing. She thought she was going to pass out.

She brushed if off, thinking she was just out of shape.

"I recognized that it was not a normal event for me, and I think just because I was not feeling well, I wasn't really thinking well as I should have been, and I just waited probably about 30 minutes until it passed," Keenan said.

Keenan diagnosed with Brugada Syndrome

Several days later, she felt chest pain at work. When the pain didn't subside the following day, she immediately contacted her family doctor.

Keenan was diagnosed with Brugada Syndrome, a genetically inherited condition characterised by abnormal electrocardiogram (ECG) findings and an increased risk of sudden cardiac death.

The news hit Keenan and her family hard.

"We really were very shocked, taken aback," she said. "When the genetic results did come back, we were all really kind of shocked. I really thought they were just going to tell me no you're fine."

"It does change how you live your life when you have this."

Keenan's children currently being tested

Brugada Syndrome is a dominant genetic gene, each person who has it has a 50 per cent chance of passing it on.

Keenan's three children — ages 6, 10 and 12 — are currently undergoing testing to see if they have inherited the same gene.

The family's pediatric cardiologist and electrophysiologist both recommended a defibrillator in the home.

"Having four people in a household potentially that have this syndrome is very risky, so they did tell us we needed to buy a defibrillator for our home," Keenan said.

"You don't know if it's going to be one of the children that needs to use the defibrillator or it's an adult that needs to use it. So, we needed a defibrillator that was very versatile, it had to be able to travel with us to the soccer field, the hockey rink, wherever we were going."

Insurance wouldn't cover the defibrillator

Although, the cost of defibrillator was $2,500 and private insurance wouldn't pay for it.

That's when Chris Landry of Island First Aid Services in Stratford came forward and offered to provide the family with a defibrillator free of charge.

Thinking about how this could affect these kids, it really hits home.— Chris Landry

"I've been after teaching thousands of people CPR over the years, including people who have lost a loved one, said Chris Landry of Island First Aid Services.  

"Showing Shelly's children how to use the AED was one of the most heart wrenching things I've had to do."

'It's quite a life-changing event'

Landry said he's been a paramedic and firefighter for 20 years and has seen many heart attack patients.

Although he's had to remain calm and professional, and force himself to "block out" what was happening around him, Keenan's story moved him.

"Thinking about how this could affect these kids, it really hits home," he said.

"You really can't put that in words," an emotional Keenan added.

"To me, that product and have somebody just out of the kindness of their heart give it to you is just …" she paused.

"You never know when you're going to need to use it. Being prepared is really the first step — it's quite a life-changing event."

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