Hi all thank you for taking the time to read about my Adventure The journey to 2 Ironmans an Ironman70.3 and IronmanUK for Group B Strep Support. Named #daveathlon picked by the population of twitter.

My Name is Dave Hackett. Im in the UK Armed Forces and this is why I am raising funds and awareness of Group B Strep Support a charity close to my heart.

On the 19th March 2012 our Son Harrison was born all looked well until four hours later when he was having difficulty breathing and going blue. He was then taken straight into the Neonatal intensive care unit and put on oxygen and had blood tests taken. This later revealed that he had a new-born infection. Harrison was then on Oxygen and IV Antibiotics for 48hrs, when his oxygen level was sufficient he was moved down to special care for a further 5 days on IV antibiotics.

It wasn’t until the day of discharge that it was explained that the infection Harrison had was Group B Strep and that this is potentially life threatening infection. 

As Harrison's parent my wife and I are one of the lucky ones that it was caught in time for the antibiotics to work. Some parents have not been so lucky.

No one should suffer the pain and heartache of preventable group B Strep infection. Yet, on average in the UK, one baby a day develops GBS infection, one baby a week dies and one survivor a fortnight is left with disability.

Group B Strep Support is at the forefront of preventing these infections -providing information & support to families, educating health professionals and campaigning for improvements to national prevention strategy.

So what am I doing?????

I will be competing in an Ironman70.3, IronmanUK and various Obstacle course races (OCR's) forming #daveathlon

I will be putting my body through its paces and well out of my comfort zone competing in two of the hardest single day endurance challenges on the planet to raise money to a charity that is very close to my heart. The best bit is I have never competed or raced in a triathlon in my life.

full list of events and dates

         a) Sun 4th Sep 16 ABF soldiers Cycle 104km (Completed) 

         b) Sat 19th Nov 16 UK OCR Championships (Completed)

         c) Sun 18th Jun 17 Ironman 70.3 Staffordshire (Completed)

         d) Sun 22 Apr 18 Mersea Island Duathlon (booked)

         e) Sun 29 Apr 18 Colchester Sprint Tri (booked)

         f) 2019 Ironman Bolton (awaiting registration)

I am not only doing this to raise awareness and funding for Group B Strep support but also for Harrison my other Son Isaac and Daughter Isobel.  Who I want to inspire and be a role model to showing them anything is possible. No matter how much pain I will be in it's of no comparison to what Harrison and others have been through or going through.

Please donate today to help Group B Strep Support (GBSS) to protect babies like Harrison. And the less fortunate ones, this is for you.

Thanks for taking the time to read and thank you if you have donated.

Dave Hackett