Heart attack victim raises £5,000 for British Heart Foundation

A Bransgore man who suffered a heart attack last year aged just 49 has completed a biking challenge to raise nearly £5,000 for the charity that helped get him through some very dark days.

The heart attack served as a wakeup call for David, a plumbing and heating engineer, and as well as setting himself the challenge of getting fit he vowed to raise as much money as he could for the British Heart Foundation.

Along with his best friend Simon Gillion, brother-in-law Simon Parris and son-in-law Daniel Seymour, he took part in the London to Brighton Bike Ride, organised by the British Heart Foundation (BHF). Calling themselves the Bransgore Boys, the team collected £4,863.

Before his health took a turn for the worst, David believed himself to be a reasonably fit man, so it came as a shock when, in August 2022, he was rushed to hospital having suffered symptoms for hours at home.

“My heart attack started during the evening of Friday 5th August and continued through to the Saturday morning, when I called for assistance from the emergency services,” he told the A&T.

“I can only say it was very frightening. You run through life, thinking you’re doing okay, and despite looking physically able and fairly fit you really have no idea how healthy, or unhealthy, you really are.

“The reality dawned on me and, despite what people say or we think, life doesn’t flash before your eyes. What hit me was a feeling of disappointment that, at 49, this potentially could be it.”

Having been told by doctors there was a one in five chance he would have a repeat heart attack within five years, David was determined to be one of the four in five who didn’t.

“With that statistic firmly imprinted in my mind, and in the knowledge I did not want to ever undergo angioplasty and stent placement – needle phobic I am – I set about ensuring I wasn’t ever going to have a repeat,” he said.

“While the medical professionals were all outstanding – after all I am still here – it was help with the every day that I needed and that’s where the British Heart Foundation came in.

“From providing recipes that cut fat, sugar and cholesterol to exercise plans and advice on mental wellbeing, the charity had the knowledge, expertise and resources to assist and, more importantly, were more than happy to do so.

“Without this I would have been lost.”

David learnt to cook nutritious meals using recipes designed to improve heart health, and learnt about the amazing affects of exercise on the heart.

Armed with this new found knowledge and his box of 14 daily tablets, David began his fitness journey.

“I found the London to Brighton Bike Ride, and what’s more it was on my 50th birthday,” he continued. “It felt like fate, so I started training, knowing that as well as benefitting the charity it would keep me from running the risk again.”

David started walking five miles a day to and from work, whatever the weather, and began cycling every week, slowly building his fitness levels in preparation for the big event, which took place on 16th June.

“I can’t emphasise enough how important the BHF’s support has been,” he said. “We have already entered next year’s ride.”

David thanked two of his suppliers, Gas Bits in New Milton and Avon Marina in Christchurch, which made generous donations.