A MUM is paying tribute to her dad who was diagnosed with incurable heart failure with an epic challenge - while battling epilepsy.

Faye Waddams, of Hanson Drive, Loughton, is running the London Marathon in honour of her dad, Steve, who was diagnosed with incurable heart failure in 2015.

The run is all the more remarkable because Faye was diagnosed with epilepsy aged seven, and is prone to seizures.

Her 68-year-old dad's heart condition went undiagnosed for 50 years, and was only discovered after he visited the GP for a persistent cough.

He had a successful valve replacement operation but 17 years later, when he was told he needed a knee replacement, he was also diagnosed with heart failure.

Faye explains: “By August 2017, the devastating symptoms of Dad’s heart failure had taken hold.

"He was breathless and had gained weight at such a rapid pace that it was shocking to see my dad’s physical appearance change so quickly.

"It was then that I thought – okay, my dad is in heart failure, but a heart transplant will save him.”

Steve’s age and physical health means he is not eligible for a heart transplant.

Faye discovered the work of the BHF when looking for other potential treatments such as a clinical trial.

Her epilepsy was under control until she fell pregnant with son, Noah, in October 2014.

After two years of being seizure free, she began experiencing a number of dangerous attacks.

On her decision to run for her dad, Faye explains: “The physical impact of doing the run is what life is like on a daily basis for my dad, so I’ll effectively be walking 26.2 miles in dad’s shoes as I complete the marathon.

“Heart failure is cruel and like a ticking time bomb. 

"We are all finding that even tougher to deal with, as unlike other conditions where you have a rough guess, we don’t know how much time we have left to make as many memories as possible before my dad’s health deteriorates and his life eventually ends.

“Until that time, I want to do as much as I can to help the BHF fund research into heart failure, with the hope that a cure for this debilitating and terminal condition can one day be cured.”