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Like many young people, UK law graduate Joe McEwan was planning to explore New Zealand in a campervan as part of his big OE.
However, everything changed dramatically a year ago, when he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at the age of just 22 while playing in a lacrosse tournament in the north of England.
His heart stopped for four minutes, but thanks to medical professionals and a defibrillator on site, he not only survived, but is now able to take on walking the length of New Zealand.
McEwan was diagnosed with Brugada Syndrome, a rare condition that affects the electrical messages that control his heart rate, but since having an internal defibrillator fitted, he has been fine.
“One of the most frustrating things was losing my driving licence for six months and I started joking and saying I’ll have to walk around New Zealand instead,” he said. “Then I heard about Te Araroa trail and thought I actually could do that, and raise some money and awareness for Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), a charity that provides screening for unknown heart conditions.”
Which is why, on October 29, a tired and muddy McEwan reached the Top of the Dome as part of his four-month, 3000km hike from Cape Reinga to Bluff. The punishing track up from Pakiri and over Mt Tamahunga had taken longer than he expected, but he was in good spirits and enjoying the trek so far.
He said the most challenging day had been through Raetea Forest, south east of Kaitaia, where he was often knee-deep in mud on steep, twisting tracks, though Tamahunga and the Dome came a close second.
McEwan is averaging 25km a day and hopes to complete the entire walk in around four months – and, as he has a plane to catch back to Manchester in March, he has an added incentive to keep moving.
He says he knows he was lucky to survive when he collapsed last year and, having seen the stress the experience caused his family and friends, he was keen to do what he could to improve the chances for other young people who may also be harbouring an undiagnosed heart condition.
“Every week, 12 people under 35 in the UK aren’t as lucky as I was, so I’m doing this to raise as much money as possible to fund heart screens for young people,” he said.
“If me walking over 3000km can raise enough money to support CRY’s work and save even one life, it’s worth doing 100 times over, because nobody should have to rely on luck.”
To find out more, follow his journey or donate, visit https://www.624reasonswhy.com/
