Main fundraiser photo

Henry’s heart transplant bike ride

As some of you will already know, I have been living with heart failure and arrhythmia for over a decade caused by a genetic disorder. In January of this year I was listed for a heart transplant at Royal Papworth Hospital, a specialist centre that deals exclusively with heart and lung disease.

On 1 June I collapsed at home with an arrhythmia and was taken to our local hospital. After a long journey through the healthcare system, I finally ended up at Papworth on 10 June. The next day I suffered two cardiac arrests and was placed on a heart and lung bypass machine in an emergency operation. The doctors and nurses at Papworth literally saved my life twice that day and it’s a debt I can never repay.

After recovering a little, the bypass machine was replaced by a ventricular assist device (VAD) which is now keeping me alive while I wait in intensive care for the right donor organ to become available. That wait can take weeks or in some cases months.

While I’m waiting I’m busy with physio rehab; walking and cycling every day. I have set myself the challenge of cycling the distance from the hospital here in Cambridge back to my wife, Susannah, and son, Guy, in Surrey. The total distance is 105 miles (170 km). I’ll be posting progress updates along the way. 

As part of my challenge, I’d like to ask for your help to raise money for this wonderful hospital. As they only deal with heart and lung disease, besides me, they have also been looking after a large number of the most complex and challenging COVID-19 cases in the country, many of whom have recovered in spite of spending months on heart and lung bypass machines. This is a very special place filled with incredible doctors and nurses. 

About the charity:
Royal Papworth Hospital Charity exists to support the ground-breaking work of Royal Papworth Hospital. With increasing pressures on NHS resources, the charity plays a vital role in ensuring the Hospital continues to provide the highest standards of care, whilst also ensuring the development of new ways of treating heart and lung disease.

Organizer

Henry Buswell
Organizer
England
Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Charity
 
Registered nonprofit
Donations eligible for Gift Aid.

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