4th May 2022

A former heart attack patient is climbing Snowdon to say thank you to the NHS team who saved his life.

Simon Watt is marking the four-year anniversary of his open-heart surgery by climbing the highest mountain in Wales and England to raise money for the Bristol Heart Institute (BHI). 

As someone with type 1 diabetes, Simon’s heart attack escalated into life-threatening diabetic ketoacidosis (the breaking down of fat at a rate that is much too fast) and his kidneys started failing.

After spending time in the intensive care unit at the Royal Gwent Hospital in Wales, Simon was transferred to the BHI. There he had his lifesaving open-heart surgery during his five and a half week stay.

He said:

I’m calling this ‘Challenge Meets Challenge’ because I’ve decided to take on a challenge to help the BHI meet the challenges they face in saving people’s lives.

“I’m a lot fitter now than I was when I had my heart attack, but this won’t be an easy challenge as I’m not a seasoned climber. I’ve chosen Snowdon as it has the railway as a contingency plan, just in case.”

Sponsor Simon's Challenge Meets Challenge

Simon is taking on Snowdon on 16^th May with his son and some work colleagues. He's aiming to raise £2,000.

Simon said: “I’ve always wanted to say thank you. I want to give back to the BHI staff what they gave to me in saving my life.

“I’m very much looking forward to it. If you know me, I just set my mind to something and just get out and do it. I wear my family out with that!”

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