Stephen Comerford is a 46 year old father of two teenagers from Carrigtwohill in Co Cork, who has a long history of heart disease, and is currently awaiting a heart transplant.

In 1996, Stephen’s younger brother Gary, who was only 15 at the time, died suddenly and without warning on a Sunday morning while playing soccer. It was discovered that Gary had cardiomyopathy, and after his untimely passing, the rest of the family was screened for the condition.

Stephen subsequently received a diagnosis of cardiomyopathy, was initially treated with medication and his condition was reviewed regularly. Cardiomyopathy is a medical term used to describe diseases that affect your heart muscle. It can affect the size, shape and thickness of your heart muscle, making it difficult for your heart to pump blood around your body. Over time, this can cause your heart to weaken and can lead to heart failure symptoms.

In 2001 Stephen was referred to a cardiologist at Cork University Hospital who specializes in the electrics of the heart. He recommended that Stephen be fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (or ICD) which is a small electrical device that can treat dangerously abnormal heart rhythms. At the time Stephen was very active and played Gaelic football regularly, but since then he has had to curtail any sporting or high-intensity physical activity. To date, Stephen has had two replacement ICDs fitted and is currently awaiting his third replacement.

All was well up until about 8 months ago. At that point, routine tests, which were carried out annually, indicated that Stephen’s heart was struggling and needed intervention. In April, he was referred to an advanced heart failure cardiologist at the Mater Hospital, Dublin for an assessment for a heart transplant. This came as a big shock to everyone. “The initial shock was awful, especially for my family, and of course my parents, who are still with me”.

Stephen had not been expecting this turn of events. “There was a bit of naivety for a long time thinking that everything was fine and that I would just be like this forever. I was not expecting any deterioration and then the day came when my cardiologist said to me that I’m at what they call end-stage heart failure, or stage D. There isn’t a stage E. It’s care and management of the condition at this stage, or transplant. So, plan A is transplant and since the 25th of April we’re very much on that path”.

After a week of assessment in Dublin, “or the workup as they call it,” Stephen was confirmed as a suitable transplant candidate and was put on the transplant list on the 25th of April 2025. “I’ve had two calls from the transplant team. You go up to Dublin, you get prepped and you’re ready to go for the operation. But unfortunately, on both occasions the heart that was available wasn’t suitable.”

Stephen was prepared for that scenario as he had been advised that “nothing is guaranteed when a heart becomes available”. Typically, two people are called when the opportunity of a transplant arises. When you get a call, “you’re brought to Dublin by ambulance, and you’re prepped for the operation”. It can be an anxious time, but Stephen is very positive. “They can call me 20 times, and if the 21st time meant I was getting a new heart, then so be it. It’s not too challenging for me. I guess I have age on my side, and I certainly have a positive outlook on it all. I feel very lucky that these things are happening for me as opposed to nothing happening, or Plan B, which is the care and management. I guess the fact that all this is happening is really positive.”

A call could come at any time. “Every day now, I’m just waiting by the phone, and hopefully that call will come. The transplant team will ring me every Tuesday. They give you updates on any donor hearts that would have become available the previous week and they see how I am. They check things like my fluid and my weight just to make sure that there’s no further deterioration, which there isn’t, which is great.”

Stephen is very thankful for the care and support that he has received from his medical team. “It’s hard trying to find the words to describe how amazing they are because you’re on a journey with them, and they’re really holding your hand even though they’re in Dublin and I’m in Cork. The whole time they’re really taking care of you.”

After the untimely passing of his brother Gary, Stephen and his wife Karen wanted to do something to ensure that other families would not have to go through the pain of losing a loved one. “Losing a sibling, or losing a child for my mom and Dad, is the most terrible thing ever.” They organised a Golf Classic in Cork in 2006, which raised almost €30,000 to buy lifesaving defibrillators for local sports clubs. This amazing achievement was acknowledged by Cork City Council, which hosted a reception to thank the team for their efforts.

At that time Stephen also made contact with the Irish Heart Foundation and has been involved on a regular basis since as a fundraiser, advisor and Patient Champion. He has been involved in organising a number of very successful fundraising lunches in Cork, and for the past two years he has helped with the Irish Heart Foundations Annual Golf Classic.

On 2nd July 2025 Stephen spoke at a ‘Heart Failure in Ireland’ event in Leinster House. An Oireachtas Heart and Stroke Group was established by the Irish Heart Foundation to build consensus across the political spectrum in support of a new national cardiovascular disease health policy. Building on this success, representatives of the charity presented to the group on Ireland’s rapidly growing cardiac condition and the disabilities and challenges being faced by its patients.

As an Irish Heart Foundation Patient Champion, Stephen discussed ‘the psychological and social challenges of heart failure and what the patient needs.’ He acknowledged the “amazing support” he has received from medical teams in Cork and Dublin, and the work of the Irish Heart Foundation, which he has experienced first-hand through their supports, his fundraising activities, and his volunteer work.

He also talked about the challenge of living with heart failure and the importance of having this support. He feels lucky to have his own personal team around him, which includes medical staff and his family members, but is aware that there are many, “often in rural areas”, who are not so lucky. “Access to psychological support is so important when you’re on the transplant list, as it can be mentally very challenging, which can have an adverse effect on your physical condition, which can affect suitability for a transplant”.

Stephen works in the Insurance sector. One challenge that he has personally experienced is the difficulty that many patients face when trying to secure life insurance. In the past, he has assisted the Irish Heart Foundation’s Nurse Support Line, as they “received a lot of calls from people to say that they can’t get life insurance”. He initially secured an offering for “non-standard” cases through a UK firm, but unfortunately, that offering ceased following Brexit.

Stephen is currently working on securing new capacity from insurers, whereby coverage can be offered to those “non-standard” cases. Being on a transplant list, he cannot get life insurance coverage, but he is using his expertise in the insurance sector to see if he can do so post-transplant. He believes that “there are thousands of people out there that simply can’t get any life insurance cover, and if they were to pass away, they’re leaving their dependents with nothing.” Stephen will keep fighting to find solutions for all those currently exposed without cover.

The Irish Heart Foundations Patient Champion Programme provides training, support, resources and know-how, to make a difference and help shape a better future for heart and stroke patients in Ireland. Stephen completed the eight-week course in November 2024 and found it “incredible. The more I do, the more I’m learning about the really great work that’s being done through the patient champions, or through the Irish Heart Foundations wellness programmes or the counselling services”.

Stephen would strongly recommend getting involved with the Irish Heart Foundation as “heart disease is something that touches everyone. I’ve seen firsthand what the implications are. Anyone I’ve ever spoken to when fundraising hasn’t hesitated, they want to get involved and to support, because they know it could be them, or a family member, that’s faced with a heart situation tomorrow. It’s so near to us all. Everyone knows someone that’s had a heart attack or has needed care around their heart.”