Shocking news
John has been living with lupus since his diagnosis in 2011. However, it was during one of his regular lupus check-ups in 2016 that he was alerted to a heart murmur. The murmur was investigated at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, where they discovered a 50% blockage in John’s heart. They advised that he would need an aortic valve replacement and coronary bypass surgery.
John was taken into surgery at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, one of the UK’s leading heart centres. “Overall, it was a positive hospital experience,” he says. “My surgeon, Mr Uppall, was excellent, as was his team. The nurses looked after me well and St Bartholomew’s is a very good hospital.”
John on one of his runs
A love of running
Following his surgery, John noted how much he missed running, which was a real passion of his and something he had been doing for over 20 years. Luckily, John’s recovery went well and he was able to begin his training by walking regularly. Within 10 months, he was able to get back to running again. John resolved to use this opportunity to raise money for the causes he cares about – supporting the hospital that gave him a new lease of life and helping fund lupus research and treatment.
"The nurses looked after me well and St Bartholomew’s is a very good hospital."Fundraiser John
St Bartholomew’s Hospital
John was treated at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, part of the Barts Health NHS Trust. The hospital, which is over 900 years old, is a specialist heart centre and sees thousands of patients every year. Supported by us, the hospital is at the forefront of new treatments for heart disease.
Clinicians treat a wide range of conditions such as coronary heart disease, heart murmurs like John’s, and many other cardiac problems. Despite serving an area with high deprivation, patients at St Bartholomew’s Hospital have some of the best clinical outcomes in the country. John praised all those who treated him at the hospital.
Thank you, John
To thank the frontline workers during the Covid-19 pandemic and those who cared for him at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, John decided to take on a monumental new challenge. Over the past two months, he has challenged himself to run a huge 100 miles in 100 days. So far, John has run over 90 miles and has raised £500.
Thank you, John for your fantastic support!