Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

As many of you will know, our son Sascha was born in December 2013 with a serious heart defect, which required open heart surgery when he was only 3 weeks old.

The operation went well, but without the help of Heartlink, we would have been unable to stay in accomodation next to the intensive care unit at Glenfield Hospital throughout his long recovery ( 5 weeks and counting).

Sascha has faced several visits to theatre, fought off 2 devestating infections caused by the surgery, been discharged and re-admitted to intensive care twice, and faces further surgery before he can get home -All this in 6 weeks! 

Seeing my son fight so hard, day in day out has literally changed my world and without the support of my family, friends, colleagues, Heart Link and the amazing staff at Glenfield Hosptial, I wouldn't have been able to hold everything together mentally over the last 6 weeks.

Heart Link raise money to help parents like us to be supported financially, and mentally through what is quite possibly one of the toughest times of theirs and their childrens lives. They also use their money to buy life-saving medical equipment which the NHS don't have the budget to provide. Heart Link have also provided us (and other parents) with a bedroom (with a TV), a shared kitchen and other facilities right next to the ward - This has been a real life-line to have some kind of normality in what is a horrendous situation.

I want to show my gratitude to them and all of the staff at Glenfield hospital, by putting myself through a huge physical & mental challenge, which is a 4 mile swim down the River Trent, from Fiskerton to Fardon - Some of you may know that I was a very keen swimmer in my youth, however swimming is no longer my forte which is why I've chosen to do it - Swimming 4 miles in a pool is hard enough, but I'll be swimming in cold, fast flowing water and nowadays I'm built for rugby not swimming!!  

My team mates at Southwell Rugby Club will also be doing some fund-raising later this year for the same cause - Details of this will follow as and when plans have been finalised - watch this space!!