Hello everyone,

When I was born it was discovered that I had a rare form of critical congenital heart disease called the Transposition of the Great Arteries. To spare the scientific details, my heart wasn't going to get enough oxygen rich blood and I was only going to live a few weeks. The chance of survival was close to zero, and my parents were told that they should prepare for the worst case scenario.

Thanks to the NHS, the incredible Brompton hospital, and an amazing team I underwent what was (at the time) an incredibly risky and experimental operation to switch those arteries and get my heart working. Although the surgery was a success, I returned to hospital months later because it hadn't worked quite as well as intended. For the first year of my life the Brompton Hospital treated me and looked after my family through a process of critical care and thanks to them I went on to live a pretty much normal life.

At age 21 I had surgery again and was given a game changing valve replacement with an arterial bypass to fix any residual issues with my heart. Yet again the Brompton looked after myself and my family with love and care. One day I'll go back for more, but now thanks to the Brompton and the NHS that surgery will be a breeze. These specialist hospitals are a gift to us all, and incredibly they operate for free thanks to the NHS.

These surgeries and the hospitals that perform them have allowed children and now adults like me to not only survive, but to live a complete life with every experience I could want to have. The surgery I had is now done every day along with many more and the lives of children and adults are saved by the Brompton and their incredible doctors, surgeons and nurses. However, there is always more research and more that can be done.

To take full advantage of this life I've been given by these amazing people I will be cycling from Lands End to John o'Groats this summer. I'll be carrying everything on my bike and sleeping in a tent the majority of the time. I will be doing something my heart should never have been able to do and while I do it I would like to try and raise a bit of money for the Brompton Fountain who not only fund cardiovascular research but also help children and families who are going through the same thing I did. I would be exceptionally grateful for any little thing that gives the incredible NHS that little boost and allows families like mine to have their children cared for by incredible people for free.

Much love

Fraser