Sophie Martin faced unimaginable grief when her daughter Olive died just 48 hours after birth in October 2024 due to a heart condition. Weeks later, she was diagnosed with a heart arrhythmia. Now, after undergoing heart surgery, she has run the London Marathon with Team TCS Teachers.
A Devastating Diagnosis
Olive was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) at the 12-week scan. The condition meant the left side of her heart was underdeveloped. Doctors said there was a chance she could survive, but she would need intensive surgery. Sophie carried her pregnancy knowing her baby was very ill.
During labor, doctors monitored Sophie's heart rate and noticed irregularities. After Olive's birth, the baby was rushed to Great Ormond Street Hospital, where she suffered a cardiac arrest. Scans revealed her heart valve was leaking too much, and she needed palliative care. Sophie, her husband, and their two-year-old son held Olive as she died.
Sophie's Own Health Crisis
After Olive's funeral, Sophie began noticing her own irregular heartbeat. Terrified she might die, she went to A&E. Tests revealed she had a heart arrhythmia. While not immediately life-threatening, it put her at risk of heart failure later in life. She was prescribed beta-blockers, which she found frustrating as she tried to train for a half-marathon.
Sophie struggled with grief and her faith, feeling anger toward God. Weekly counseling through the hospice that cared for Olive helped her cope.
Surgery and the Marathon
In October 2025, Sophie completed a half-marathon despite the beta-blockers. However, doctors determined she needed ablation surgery, which she underwent in late January 2026. Surgeons burned away misfiring areas of her heart while she was awake. The surgery took four hours, and Sophie felt great afterward.
Two weeks later, she learned she had secured a place in the London Marathon with Team TCS Teachers. Despite having only 10 weeks to train, she got medical clearance and ran the race. She described it as an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Sophie dedicated the marathon to Olive's memory. She said, 'Together with my son and my husband, they are the people I do everything for.'
