Heartbeats for Xav
Our 20-year-old son and brother, Xavier, died on 2 October 2022 from sudden cardiac arrest at the finish line of the Melbourne half marathon.
Thank you to our wonderful community – you have helped us raise $500,000!!!
Let’s keep this amazing campaign to honour Xavier going – the more we raise the greater the impact we can make to the world-leading research into sudden cardiac death in young people being undertaken by Professor Chris Semsarian and his team in the Agnes Ginges Centre for Molecular Cardiology.
Our 20-year-old son and brother, Xavier, died on 2 October 2022 from sudden cardiac arrest at the finish line of the Melbourne half marathon.
Xavier was an extremely fit young man who had just completed a season of colts rugby and had run a half marathon in Victoria earlier in 2022. We are struggling to understand how and why this happened.
An autopsy was undertaken. Unfortunately, however, Xavier’s autopsy declared the cause of his death to be ‘unascertainable’.
Xavier’s death has been absolutely devastating for our family. Our hearts are broken.
To honour Xavier’s memory, our family has decided to raise funds towards supporting the research of Professor Chris Semsarian AM (we are aiming for at least $250,000). Professor Semsarian is a world-leading expert in investigating and researching the phenomenon of fit young people (particularly males) dying of sudden cardiac arrest. This research is undertaken at the Centenary Institute’s Agnes Ginges Centre for Molecular Cardiology.
“Thanks to the amazing generosity of our family, friends, colleagues, clients and the broader community, we have raised over $500,000 in just over a month (more than doubling our initial goal of $250,000). Our new fundraising goal as we head towards the Gold Coast Marathon weekend is $700,000. Please help us to reach this goal in Xavier’s name”.
Every year around 30,000 Australians die from sudden cardiac death and, disturbingly, around 4 young Australians (between 15 and 35) die each week. Xavier was one of these young Australians. Our hope is that the research that is able to be undertaken by Professor Semsarian from the funds we raise will save other families from having to experience a similar tragedy.
Your kind and generous gift will contribute to this essential research and help us in our fundraising efforts.
In support of this campaign, “Heartbeats for Xav”, our family has decided to participate in the Gold Coast marathon weekend to be held 1 – 2 July this year. Xavier’s dad, Patrick, will run the marathon with Xavier’s mum, Alison, and his sisters, Gabriella and Annaliese, also participating in events over the weekend.
If you wish to join our family and also participate, events include the marathon, a half marathon, a 10km and a 5km. You can also join our “Heatbeats for Xav” team (link below) and individually fundraise. See further information about participating below.
Please help us keep Xavier’s heart beating in his memory. We do not want any other family to have to experience the unbearable grief and pain that our family is going through.
With love and thanks,
Patrick, Alison, Gabriella and Annaliese
Participating in the Gold Coast marathon weekend
Event registrations open on 15 February. If a participant registers before the end of May, the participant can request a name on their event bib. We are asking everyone who participates in an event at the Gold Coast marathon weekend to have Xavier’s name on their bib.
If you are interested in participating in one of the events:
- please register
- request that Xavier’s name be on your bib; and
- let the O’Grady family know which event you have entered by emailing us.
Links
“Heartbeats for Xav” team at the Gold Coast marathon weekend
Visit our Instagram account
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Proudly supporting
We will be fundraising for the Centenary Institute’s Agnes Ginges Centre for Molecular Cardiology led by Professor Chris Semsarian AM. Professor Semsarian and his wonderful team carry out vital research to increase current understanding of genetic heart diseases and ultimately develop new treatment strategies and prevent sudden death.
