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Ok Folks the guys in the factory have decided my challenge tomorrow will be,

working on assembly press, working on ring press, working on paint line and working on despatch. OH YEA WHILST WEARING A RED WIG WITH FLASHING HEADBAND, A SUNDERLAND FOOTBALL SHIT, RED TIGHTS WITH TUTU AND SPARKLY RED SAFETY SHOES (Timberlands so no visits from the style police). I will add more images as the day progresses. I hope you have fun viewing and keep donating......

Hello everyone,

I have never had to ask for anything from anybody and as my close friends will tell you my life is a very private affair.

That was the case until 11^th September 2013 when my best friend strongly suggested I get some advice from a medical consultant for an ache in my jaw I experienced when playing squash and activities in the gym. This ache had been happening for many years.

I was admitted to Kettering General hospital with what I thought was just for a walk on a treadmill. However, the looks from the two nurses indicated something wasn’t quite right. I was then asked to rest (even though in my mind I hadn’t actually done anything which had exerted me) until a duty heart consultant could come and examine me.

Suddenly the thought of terror crossed my mind that they might actually need to stick a needle in me. As my close friends and family will tell you it took eight attempts to get precautionary injections a few years earlier for a family holiday to Egypt and never mind the stress the dentist has.

From the electrocardiogram (my activity on the treadmill) the consultant informed me that there were blockages at my heart and do I agree to having stents placed? I thought that having heart issues was all about chest pains, falling to the floor in a heap and rolling around on the floor (a bit like our finance director who played squash with us J)

In horror and shock I agreed and off I was wheeled to theatre with nurse holding my hand all the way. All I could think about was the bloody needles. After some time during this process in the operating theatre the consultant reluctantly informed me that stents were of no use as I had coronary heart disease. In a secondary breath which seemed to me that time had stopped he told me I would need a triple bypass operation.

Working away from home with a wife 200miles away wondering what was happening and whist close friends and family saw to it that I was transported back to Newcastle as I was unable to drive myself after the stent surgery.

I tell you most honestly that until you are faced with life threatening news you really are very unaware of the effect it has not only on you as the person but my wife, family, and friends went through the emotional torture without having to say anything.

Fortunately, I was admitted to one of the finest hospitals, Newcastle Freeman on January 20^th 2014 and managed to contain fear as far as I could. The following morning it was operation day and I was very well aware of what lay ahead as I had watched  a two hour graphic operation of what was going to happen to me some weeks beforehand.

Unfortunately as I was wheeled to the operating theatre and minutes before anaesthetic the operating team were summoned to a offsite emergency and my operation was cancelled.

I was given a new date of 4^th February 2014 and the operation went ahead as planned.

I do not normally get involved with asking for peoples help as a general rule and appreciate that you may already support a worthwhile charity or function. I do not have an account with any social media site but ask kindly that if you can post on you wall or whatever we may be able to have a more successful outcome. Even better give it a go yourself!

The British Heart Foundation is asking for volunteers to host an event to generate donations and it is uncanny how the date more or less matches my own story. I appreciate Christmas and the New Year activities will have cost us all but ask on this occasion to help support not me but the British Heart Foundation  to further research coronary heart disease as the United Kingdom’s biggest killer.

I consider myself as very lucky to have come into contact with this organisation and hope it will be available for many years should anyone else need it either before and after the “event”.

So to you lot out there I am putting the highest number of suggestions to a board of governors namely selected employees to decide my fate. I’m sure your imaginative collective minds will come up with a suitable challenge. The theme is red and more can be read get it read (see what I done there) in the attachments or visiting the British Heart Foundation web site.

Please note that I will not be able to run anywhere as I snapped my Achilles tendon recently. When I have updates I will keep all posted. This is as mentioned the first attempt at fundraising and feel slightly uncomfortable about it but, feel If I can handle my discomfort it will definitely save somebody or child from having to experience any discomfort.

If you appear on my e-mail listing and also on my text listing.......sorry!

There are many ways of donating: http://www.justgiving.com/bob-prentice-wibi-db44  you can tick the gift aid to gain an extra 25 pence per £1

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Sincerely thank you for taking time to help