The coach of Exeter Harriers is on a mission to help others after discovering he has a genetic heart condition – which left him clinically dead until medics were able to save him. 

Christ Pitman, 54, coaching co-ordinator for the athletics club, has now taken on the role of Devon representative for the charity CRY – Cardiac Risk in the Young. 

The charity helps people whose families have been touched by rare heart conditions which can trigger Sudden Death Syndrome, where people can die suddenly from genetic cardiac problems. 

It provided much of the equipment at St George’s Hospital in London, where Chris found out he had a heart condition which can be triggered by exercise. 

That’s been hard for Chris to accept – after competing in the London Marathon several times and scoring many other sporting achievements. 

But he is now coaching other promising Exeter athletes and is showing his gratitude to the charity by helping raise awareness about its vital work. 

The charity chairwoman, Alison Cox, will visit Exeter Arena at 3 pm on Thursday, to launch a postcard campaign backing a new Government Bill calling for automatic screening for young people from families with a history of sudden and unexplained death. 

The Charity has played a vital role in helping Echo readers, including East Budleigh woman Kathy Moyle, who has lost four relatives to the syndrome; and Wonford mother Donna Pyle, whose husband, Andy, died of it and whose young sons, Jake and Jamie, are being monitored for the condition. 

The charity’s patrons include Olympic gold winner Sir Steve Redgrabe, while cricket legend Ian Botham is honorary president of CRY’s Centre of Sports Cardiology – the first dedicated sports cardiology unit in the world. 

Chris, from Pennsylvania, wants to encourage people to send postcards, provided by the charity, to their local MP backing the Government Bill. 

He said: “Since my teens I had suffered spells where I felt dizzy or short of breath.  I had always been sporty and doctors told me the problem could be due to panic attacks or asthma – but it kept happening when I was feeling completely relaxed, while running.” 

Tragedy nearly struck two years ago, when he was running near Northbrook Park gold course on Topsham Road. 

He said: “The symptoms were coming back and were a lot worse.  I was getting weaker and dropped down to one knee. 

Everything started fading away.  I started to black out and had tremendous pains in my chest. 

“It was a lovely day and I sat under a tree, but I knew something was seriously wrong.  I managed to stagger to the golf course reception.  The next minute, I remember hearing sounds for an ambulance and faces around me.  There was a crushing pain. 

“Doctors later told me that at that point there was no blood pressure, no heartbeat and for several minutes I was technically dead.” 

He added: “I came round and could hear people trying to inject me and it wasn’t working.  Then I woke up.  I was in the intensive care unit at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital.” 

“I was lucky I lived,” said Chris.  “If I hadn’t collapsed so near to the hospital, I don’t know what would have happened.” 

Chris discovered that he had a rare genetic condition called ARVC, which is aggravated by exercise. 

A gene attacks his heart muscle and kills it, replacing it with fat and fibre, so the electrical current cannot work properly. 

Through an Internet support group for people with the condition, he contacted cardiac expert Professor William McKenna, who has also helped Donna Pyle. 

Chris has had to give up on his many sporting challenges.  He has run several London marathons and scored seventh place in the European Champion triathlons for his age group when he was 40. 

He said: “I’ve gone from doing marathons and the Great West Run, to not being able to anything except walk the dog.  But I really enjoy coaching.” 

Chris is also regional coach for middle distance running for UK Athletics, which is the governing body, and trains the South West’s talent squad for athletes.