10 September 2024

I am competing in this year’s Great South Run in Portsmouth and raising funds for Critical Care at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth.

It is a THANK YOU to all the staff who cared for me during my stay, names and faces unknown to me.

On a Sunday morning in May three years ago, Sue, my wife found me in an unconscious condition, she realised that I had suffered a Cardiac Arrest. She immediately performed CPR on me whilst phoning for an ambulance. Three ambulances and a Critical Care Doctor arrived, the first within four minutes. Seven Paramedics were “working on me” until a pulse was eventually raised and I was then taken to QA and immediately taken into surgery and lifesaving treatment was given, then put into an induced coma. Sue, because of her knowledge of CPR, certainly helped my condition and chances of survival.

For about three weeks after my Cardiac Arrest, I have no recollection of anything. I do not remember leaving QA and, most important to me, not remembering saying THANK YOU to the wonderful team of caring staff. So, with that in mind, I have enrolled to run the 10 mile course. I have not run that distance for over 48 years.

During the past 48 years, I have had operations for cartilages, dislocated my knee, and had some bones held together with metal plates and screws, as well as suffering a Heart Attack in March 2006 whilst driving around the M25, which resulted in a stay in Intensive Care and surgery at St George's Hospital in London.

This year is the first year since my Cardiac Arrest that I have even been able to consider the run due to other health problems. Sponsorships given will enable the department to purchase items that will improve the wellbeing of patients and facilities for the staff.

I know my family would also wish to THANK the staff for their help and consideration during that very difficult period for them.