Some 10 months ago I spent over 100 days in Royal Papworth Hospital waiting (somewhat) patiently for a heart transplant having been diagnosed with a rare form of heart disease. After several failed attempts, a viable heart was finally approved and on 29th April 2022 the operation went ahead. My life changed and today I feel like a new man.

The experience is not something you can prepare for but the care I received throughout my stay was faultless and simply above and beyond anything I could have expected. I still remember the names of those that cared for me and they will forever be a part of my memory. Without exception, the health care assistants, nurses, doctors, porters and the catering staff treated me impeccably and made me feel very supported.

My thanks go beyond words. That said, I would like to show my appreciation to Papworth and the British Heart Foundation who supported me in my "journey" and to this end I have decided to join thousands of others on June 18th, all cycling the 54-mile epic city to coast route from London to Brighton.

The BHF fund around £100 million of research each year into all heart and circulatory diseases and the things that cause them. Heart diseases. Stroke. Vascular dementia. Diabetes. They're all connected, and they're all under their microscope.

Royal Papworth Charity exists to support the ground-breaking work of Royal Papworth Hospital. With increasing pressures on the NHS, the Charity plays a vital role in ensuring that the Hospital continues to provide the highest standards of care by investing in staff development, improving the Hospital environment for patients and supporting research into new ways of treating heart and lung disease.

I am sure you agree that these are two incredibly worthy causes and I can testify, first hand, they changed my life. Please support me to support them.

I have created two fundraising pages; one for each charity. Any donations would be hugely appreciated.

All the best,

Grant