At some point in time we all have a reminder of how precious and fragile life is. On the 15th August 2018, a series of quirks of fate and the incredible skills of the NHS saved my life.
I went to work that day not realising that my usual Monday morning journey would not take me home. A meeting got cancelled so I thought it a good opportunity to contact the GP as I’d had some intermittent chest pain when playing football and exercising. I was advised to go to A&E. In the usual northern man way I wasn’t going to take up their advice, after all I felt ok that day. A phone call to my previously unsuspecting wife soon directed me otherwise so I drove to A &E at Wigan Infirmary, where she works.
The day quickly deteriorated with bad news. I was sent for an angiogram with view to inserting stents but my heart was far too damaged to repair. The only option was to try a quintuple bypass which I needed urgently to stay alive. Instead of returning home, my wife and I were being whisked down the motorway at high speed in an ambulance to Cardio thoracic intensive care at Stoke Hospital. My sons and their girlfriends following in the car, an awful journey for them.
I had open heart surgery 48 hours later and bumpy progress back to health in and out of Wigan coronary care unit over the following year ( with a couple of bouts of pneumonia and a pacemaker thrown in)!
Had the meeting not been cancelled and my wife not answered her phone I may not have seen the day out.
Those were the quirks of fate however what actually saved me was the amazing skills of the surgeon and all the wonderful health professionals who cared for me at Wigan and Stoke
These skills and knowledge are underpinned by the incredible research done by the British heart foundation.
I’ve been lucky to be given a place to run in the London marathon with the BHF team this year. I’m far from my previous levels of fitness but am determined to give something back. Having the chance to contribute to helping others who may also find themselves confronting the fragility of their lives means so much. I’m determined to do the training, I just need some help with raising the 2.5k target donation. Every contribution counts… everyone knows someone in their family and friends who has benefited from BHF research…..life is precious

Thank you for supporting my TCS London Marathon journey with the British Heart Foundation. With your donations, were raising money for one of the most exciting fields of research - regenerative medicine. We're aiming to fund breakthroughs and find cutting edge new treatments for people living with heart disease. The race is on to heal hearts together. Donations to my page will be sent directly to the British Heart Foundation in a fast and secure way.