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On 3rd October, I will be running the London marathon for The Brompton Fountain. This is a cause that is very close to my heart, having been an outpatient at the Royal Brompton  Hospital myself as a child, where I was successfully treated for the wonderful Dr Jan Till for Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT). 

I was diagnosed with SVT (supraventricular tachycardia) when I was about 4 years old, after my first ever episode whilst on holiday in Spain with my family. On returning to the UK, I was sent to the Royal Brompton and enrolled as an outpatient under the care of the wonderful Dr Jan Till.

Over the years, I was prescribed a number of different medicines to help me manage my SVT, which I would take on a daily basis with the aim of preventing any episodes. My Dad and I developed certain physical strategies (including lifting me upside down and twirling me round like a windmill) if an episode were to occur. At around age 8, I had my first stay on the Rose Ward, where Dr Till attempted a radio ablation to fix my SVT, but unfortunately it couldn’t go ahead due to my ‘extra’ electrical pathway being too close to my normal one, and so the op was deemed too risky. I remained an outpatient at the Brompton throughout most of my school life, before we were forced to attempt the ablation again at age 14, as I was awaiting major spinal surgery for Scoliosis which couldn’t go ahead while I still had my SVT. Thankfully, this time the ablation was a success, and I was discharged as an outpatient a couple of years later (by which point I also had a metal spine too!).

My heart problems aside, I grew extremely fond of the Royal Brompton over the years I was a patient there, and actually looked forward to coming in for my check-ups with Dr Till. I think a big part of that is due to the wonderful staff who made sure I felt comfortable and cared for at all times, and the nurses and volunteers on the Rose Ward who provided activities to keep me occupied during my stays. I look back on the time I spent at the Royal Brompton with much fondness, and the hospital and the Brompton Fountain have always held a special place in my heart (quite literally!).

It’s almost 10 years to the day that I was in for my successful ablation, and so it’s extremely special to me to be running the London Marathon for the Brompton Fountain, who support the work of the hospital that fixed my heart. Without them, I don’t think I’d be able to run a mile without any problems, let alone 26.2 of them! I am so grateful to this wonderful charity, for all the work they do in supporting the children under the care of the Royal Brompton hospital, and am very much looking forward to wearing my Brompton Fountain vest with pride.

My run will be dedicated to all the Brompton babies and their families out there, and any donation people can give to support, no matter how big or small, is hugely appreciated!

The Brompton Fountain provides vital support and resources, medical equipment and services to young people and their families who are being treated at the Royal Brompton Hospital. They work to improve the quality of life of young patients, who often have life threatening heart and lung conditions.

Please donate any amount that you can, and help support the work of the Brompton Fountain and all of the patients that they support. Thank you so much!

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