Marathon run two years after heart surgery - and losing four stone

A Bristol man who underwent life-saving cardiac surgery two years ago is preparing to run the London marathon for a heart charity.

Simon Peevers, 34, from Redland, was inspired to run the 26-mile route for the British Heart Foundation (BHF), after having a heart valve replacement operation in September 2007.

He has lost four stone in weight in preparation for the challenge, having ballooned to 19-stone following surgery.

Mr Peevers is aiming to raise £3,000 for the charity to help beat heart disease and is already almost half way to reaching his target.

This month is National Heart Month and BHF is encouraging people to do their bit to help combat the nation's biggest killer. He was born with a valve defect, which meant blood was not pumping through his heart as efficiently as it should. Mr Peevers, who runs his own PR agency called Acrobat PR, said: "Doctors felt it was best to wait until I was a grown adult before doing the operation but in 2007 they also discovered that the wall of the valve was starting to expand and blowing up like a balloon, which meant it could burst and obviously that would have been fatal.

"They brought me in for my operation at Southampton General Hospital and replaced the old valve with an indestructible titanium valve, which clicks every time my heart beats. That is a little weird.

"As soon as I came round from the operation I could feel the difference. I could take full breaths for the first time in my life and during training for the marathon I've been able to run further than before and even take on some of the city's biggest hills like Bridge Valley Road, which I've never been able to do before.

"The fantastic work of the NHS surgeons and the whole team that brought me through the operation amazed me, so I want to raise money for the British Heart Foundation to help them in their work to beat heart disease, especially as February is the BHF's National Heart Month."

The money raised by the marathon will go towards helping research and work in combating heart disease in Bristol, where Mr Peevers received physiotherapy following his operation. To sponsor Mr Peevers visit www.justgiving.co.uk/simonpeevers.

For more information about National Heart Month and BHF visit www.bhf.org.uk.