I want to raise money for this charity because I have seen the work that Surgeons and medical professionals have done to save and extend lives. Take a walk around a hospital and you will see that all ages, all colours, all creeds, all genders, all backgrounds, all types of people benefit from this work; I have seen the machines and equipment that keep hearts pumping outside of the body.  I have marveled at the skill of perfusionists and been grateful for the compassion of nurses as they all do jobs that I most certainly cannot do.   

They have all been there, ready to help, as I saw loved ones face the very daunting prospect of death by a debilitating and deteriorating heart condition.  Some moments in life pass well, others not so well and if you are anything like me you will not forget the look in the face of someone who thinks that their life may fade into a painful end.  Luckily I've met those incredibly dedicated and humble people who are ready to spend their lives in jobs that make such an enormous difference to those who need it.  Whether it is the researchers at desks, nurses on wards or staff bringing a cup of tea when you need it the most you will appreciate the fact that they are all there willing to help keep your friends and family alive for that while longer.

I hope that you agree with me when I say that all of this is worth supporting.  Ironically I hated swimming throughout most of my life and I even used to tell my chemistry teacher I was allergic to chlorine to escape the gala.  Seeing as lots of people, in all walks of life, face tough challenges every day I thought that I would choose to do something that I would find challenging and sufficiently unpleasant.  The BHF has helped halve the number of people dying from heart and circulatory disease in the UK but sadly every day hundreds of people lose their lives. It's only thanks to support from people like us that the BHF can create new treatments and discover new cures. £24 could pay for two hours of research by an early career scientist, but every pound helps so please give what you can to help me hit my target. Thanks!