“My father didn’t drink or smoke and played rugby,” says Elis, from south Wales.

His father died of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and growing up, Elis was forced to stop contact sport and wear a 24-hour monitor in school.

“No one in my family knew HCM existed until my father’s death. Everyone on his side of the family was screened regularly and it turns out, my grandfather and uncle also tested positive.”

In his late teens, Elis began to experience palpitations and in December 2015, aged 22, he received the news he had been expecting.

“Being diagnosed with HCM, as well as being a carrier of the faulty gene, didn’t really come as a surprise, but emotionally, the constant thought of having something wrong with you and having the same heart condition that killed my father wasn’t easy.”

Today, the 24-year-old NHS support officer is helping Cardiomyopathy UK’s Heart Bleeps campaign to dispel the public misconception of what a ‘typical heart patient’ looks like.

“It’s like you’re not believed or taken seriously, just because you’re young and not overweight with a cigarette in one hand and a pint in the other,” says Elis.

“I take my condition very seriously and try to stay positive by leading the most ‘normal’ life I can, but people need to understand how many young people are actually affected by cardiomyopathy.”

Cardiomyopathy UK Chief Executive Joel Rose says: “Every year, we hear about more cases of cardiomyopathy in the UK and many have told us about the myths and misconceptions they face on a daily basis about their condition.”