On top of a cancer diagnosis, Rod’s heart “was just going berserk,” recalls his daughter, Rebecca.

It was off to the emergency room.

“My heartrate was skyrocketing. They had to shock me not once but twice,” Don said.

At the hospital, Rod met Demetrio Castillo, MD, Electrophysiologist at Memorial Cardiac and Vascular Institute.

“He was hospitalized with an arrythmia,” said Dr. Castillo. “At first glance his heart appeared normal.”

Further testing and a collaboration with heart failure and cardiac imaging specialists revealed a diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a genetic condition. He was at risk of sudden cardiac death.

An ablation was performed to help correct Rod’s irregular heartbeat, and a defibrillator was implanted that can restart his heart in case of cardiac arrest.

“What Dr. Castillo did allows us to have a lot more years together,” said Rebecca.

“I call it ‘developing memories,’” said Rod. “I want to be there.”