Two sisters are set to abseil on the Forth Road Bridge in memory of their beloved dad
Two sisters are set to brave a terrifying abseil on one of Scotland’s tallest structures.
Fiona Moss and Diane O’Donnell lost their beloved dad, James (Jim) Jamieson, on 17 January 2019 after he suffered a sudden heart attack.
The sisters decided to do something courageous in his memory to help other families affected by heart conditions. On 14 June, they’re abseiling 165ft from the Forth Bridge to raise vital funds for Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland.
On the evening that Jim, 73, passed away, he was experiencing stomach pain and being sick. During the night he suffered a massive heart attack and sadly Fiona and Diane lost their dad.
The family later found out that stomach pain and sickness can be a sign of a heart attack. Fiona and Diane want to raise awareness of the lesser known signs of heart attack as well as raising vital funds to support other families.
Signs and symptoms of heart attack can include pain in your chest, neck, jaw, back and down your arms, feeling or being sick, grey pallor, hot and sweaty, shortness of breath and dizziness.
Fiona Moss, 48 from East Kilbride, said: “From the instant my dad died, all of our lives changed. It is beyond comprehension to anyone who has not gone through something similar just how difficult it is. The sudden heartbreak you feel is literally like your heart has been broken in two.
“We decided after a very hard first year that we wanted to do something meaningful to help others but also to give us something to look forward to and make us smile again.
“I am feeling a bit nervous and apprehensive but knowing that I’m doing this for my dad will help me through.
“We have a history of heart problems in our family and have lost lots of family members to heart attacks. We are determined to help other families and raise awareness of the signs through our fundraising.”
Diane O’Donnell, 48 from Hamilton, said: “Life changed so suddenly when my dad passed away. We were all struggling with the grief and the massive change that came with not having him around every day. Instead of having someone to depend on for most things you suddenly become the person who is depended upon. You realise how much that person did for all the family. Nothing is ever the same.
“We want to raise money for a great cause while also doing something a bit ‘out of the box’ to remind us of our dad.”
Jane-Claire Judson, chief executive of Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland, said: “Fiona and Diane are doing something unforgettable to remember their dad and help other families. We will be there in June cheering them on and I’m sure for them it’ll be a day their family can treasure forever.
“They are also spreading an important message that people should understand the symptoms of heart attack and know what signs to look out for. People need to be vigilant and if you suspect a heart attack at all, call 999 immediately.”
You can support Fiona and Diane to help other families affected by heart attacks by visiting their JustGiving pages:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Fiona-Moss8
https://www.justgiving.com/TheAteam2020
