87-year-old’s Inspiring Marathon Journey with Son and Grandson After Two Heart Operations
PULSE Issue 44 | January 2025
As the countdown to the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon in December 2024 begun, runners across the city were lacing up their shoes and hitting the pavement in preparation for it. Among them is a three-generation trio from the Murthy family – 87-year-old Dr C.K. Murthy, a heart patient from the National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS), his 52-year-old son Abhishek, and his 16-year-old grandson Kiran.
What many may not know is that Dr Murthy had undergone not one, but two heart operations within the same year – a journey of resilience that tested not just his physical strength but also the support of his family to overcome this hurdle together. Through this experience, it has strengthened their bond, serving as an inspiring testament to perseverance and the enduring spirit of a shared passion.
For Dr Murthy, running is much more than a hobby — it is a lifelong passion that spanned for decades since childhood. Over the years, Dr Murthy could often be found running along the streets of Singapore with his sons, discovering new parts of the island together.
One fond memory stands out where he recalls their 25km run to Changi Airport, which inspired them to sign up for their first marathon together. That journey marked the beginning of a 30-year tradition of marathon running – a ritual he shared every year with his wife and sons.
However, Dr Murthy’s active lifestyle was disrupted in July 2023 when he experienced a concerning tightness in his chest, during what was meant to be a routine practice run with his son.
An emergency visit to NUHCS revealed that he had two types of critical heart conditions – a severe mitral valve leakage1, and blockages in three main coronary arteries. Faced with these pressing cardiac issues, Dr Murthy underwent an open-heart surgery in February 2024 to first treat the blockage in his coronary arteries.
The surgery proved to be no ordinary one when Dr Murthy’s condition presented an unexpected challenge. During the operation, the doctors found that it was not safe to use a heart-lung machine for him, so he underwent an off-pump Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery2 performed by A/Prof Kristine Teoh, then Head of Division of Adult Cardiac Surgery and Senior Consultant, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Surgery (CTVS), NUHCS, to treat his coronary blockages.
Five months later, Dr Murthy then returned to NUHCS for the treatment of his second heart condition. A Transcatheter Mitral Edge-to-Edge Repair (TEER)3 procedure was performed by Dr Lim Yinghao, Consultant, Department of Cardiology, NUHCS, to repair the leakage in his mitral valve using a tiny clip inserted through his blood vessels.
Determined to regain strength and confidence to return to running – his beloved past time – Dr Murthy embarked on a Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme at NUHCS after his two successful heart operations. The programme offers personalised exercise plans and health guidance on lifestyle changes, for patients to gain strength and confidence in returning to their daily lives and favourite activities. Dr Murthy was committed to rebuilding and maintaining his heart health under the supervised guidance of the multidisciplinary medical professionals in this programme.
Just one month after his surgery, Dr Murthy began with 5km runs and progressively stepped up to 10km with his doctors’ approval. Today, Dr Murthy comfortably finishes 20km runs, exemplifying how heart patients can safely lead an active lifestyle post-procedure with the right care and discipline. With two months left till his first half marathon post-operation, Dr Murthy maintained a disciplined routine of doing yoga and balancing exercises in the morning, followed by a 6km run to and from the gym where he focused on strength training, before concluding his evenings with another 6km run.
Through unwavering commitment to his recovery, Dr Murthy made remarkable strides, not just in physical endurance but mental resilience too. Being able to cross the finish line of the marathon alongside his son and grandson, this race is more than just a personal milestone but a reignition of the decades-long family tradition that he hopes will continue for generations to come.
1. Mitral valve leakage – A heart condition, also known as mitral regurgitation, when the mitral valve does not close tightly causing blood to flow backwards into the upper chamber instead of moving forward to the rest of the body normally.
2. Off-pump Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery – Operation performed to treat blocked or narrowed arteries while the heart is still beating, instead of using a heart-lung machine to keep the heart pumping.
3. Transcatheter Mitral Edge-to-Edge Repair (TEER) – Minimally invasive procedure to fix a leaky mitral valve in the heart by bringing the edges of the leaking valve together and stopping the backflow of blood.
