Blogging from the heart

"A lot of exciting things have happened recently. Not only did I get an operation date I got a new car!"

Leanne (pictured right) is a 21-year-old heart patient waiting for a heart valve replacement operation.

She's currently writing a regular blog for our young people's website yheart, and is into her fourth week of posting.

Read her latest entry here

The latest from our heart blogger Leanne...

"I think I have gone from six nights a week of going out having fun to lasting six hours before I need a nap - and that’s without a night out or a day at uni.

"Either way I knew it was for the best to head home as my health was slightly more important that seeing Radiohead. And I needed to get over the traumatic experience of being crushed against a burger van by about 100 bored festival goers."

Leanne (pictured above right) is 21 and has a congenital heart condition. She's currently waiting to undergo a heart valve operation.

The passage above is taken from a regular blog in which Leanne is going to be sharing her experiences on our young people's website yheart - you can read her latest post about the Leeds Festival here

Let Leanne and us know what you think about her blog by posting a comment below.

Heart patient Julie’s recovery challenge

We always love to hear from our supporters. When Vicki Gilham wrote to tell us about her family’s sponsored walk in aid of the British Heart Foundation, we thought we’d find out more. Here’s the full story as told by Vicki’s dad, Pete.

“On Saturday 18 October this year, a party of 11 of us set off from the church in Patterdale to walk and scramble our way up Helvellyn in the Lake District via Striding Edge.

“My wife Julie had her mitral valve repaired in August 2007, and had set herself the recovery challenge to be able to climb Helvellyn again.

“We mentioned the trip to our son and daughters and they said they wanted to come with us. The children thought it would be a good idea to turn it into a sponsored event and set up a webpage on JustGiving.

“The climb was a very hard day for Julie. Without the continual encouragement of the family and numerous rest stops she would never have made it. The weather did not help with driving rain, strong wind and low cloud cover. After five hours of grit and determination, she finally made it to the top.

“There must be a God because as we made the final scramble up to the summit, the clouds lifted, the sun came out and the views were magnificent.

“We had originally planned to do the trip a week later but couldn't book any accommodation. That was the weekend of the Original Mountain Marathon and the terrible storms in the Lake District we all saw on the news reports!

“We ended up making over £1,500 for the British Heart Foundation.”

Have you organised your own fundraising activity or taken part in a BHF event? Post your comment below and tell us what you've been doing.

Spoons man Peter hits the road to help hearts

A huge well done and thank you to all our BHF Heart Runners - around 1,000 of them in total - who took part in this year's BUPA Great North Run yesterday.

Among them was 82-year-old Peter "Mr Spoons" Lee (pictured right), from Kilmarnock, who took on his toughest challenge yet - and in doing so helped to raise vital funds for us.

Peter, 82, wore his official BHF Heart Runners vest and finished the half marathon course yesterday in three hours. He managed to raise £400 for the BHF - money that will help keep vulnerable hearts beating.

Heart patient and BHF fan Peter has previously featured in his Heart Runners top on ITV's The X Factor, when he auditioned by singing a version of Gene Kelly's Singing In The Rain while playing the spoons - watch his performance here

He said: “I joined the Heart Runners team because 16 years ago I had a triple heart bypass. By running I feel like I can give something back.

“I’m so proud to have run the Great North Run for the BHF. It was tough at times but knowing I was doing it for such a great cause kept me going.”

Julie Sorrell, our Head of Events, said: “The Great North Run is a major fundraising event for the BHF and thanks must go to all the Heart Runners and their sponsors for their support.

"The funds raised will ensure the BHF can continue to fund pioneering research that saves and improves lives.”

Heart and circulatory disease is still the UK’s single biggest killer. All funds raised by the Heart Runners team will help ensure the BHF can continue working to beat heart disease through its lifesaving research and vital prevention and care work.

Taking part in a BHF event is a great way to have fun, get fit and save lives. To apply for a place in the 2009 Great North Run visit bhf.org.uk/greatnorthrun - or call 0844 4771181.

Did you take part in the Great North Run yesterday? If so we'd love to hear from you about how it went. Simply add your comment below this post.