(LEX 18) — Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has won four Olympic gold medals and countless races on the track at the University of Kentucky, but she says she may be saving her best effort for off the track.
McLaughlin-Levrone and her father, Willie, a three-time collegiate All-American sprinter, have teamed up to raise awareness of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, or HCM — a genetic condition that causes a thickening of the heart. Willie McLaughlin-Levrone received a heart transplant after being diagnosed with the condition.
"Right before the transplant, I wasn't able to leave the hospital," Willie said. "So it may have been a matter of months before I passed away if I didn't get that transplant."
Willie had no idea he had HCM. His diagnosis came four years after he finished competing, during a routine physical. Symptoms associated with the condition did not begin until years after the diagnosis.
Their joint effort, called On Track with HCM, aims to reach the roughly 1 in 350 Americans who have HCM — many of whom don't know it. Willie was roughly his daughter's age when he found out.
"It was a very abrupt situation, but I'm very grateful he was able to receive that transplant," Sydney said. "We want to bring awareness, let people know there's help, resources to educate people, and ultimately, I'm grateful and proud of my dad for sharing his story."
Sydney has not yet been tested for HCM herself, but medical experts say those with a known family history of the condition should consult a cardiologist. She says that it is a priority.
"I know my three siblings have. It's definitely on my list, for sure. Getting tested is a top priority for me," Sydney said.
