Beresfords Manager completes the Brentwood Half Marathon after undergoing open heart surgery

By the Beresfords Marketing Team - 8th April 2015

Manager of Beresfords Chelmsford Branch, Alex Beresford, completed the recent Brentwood Half Marathon a year after undergoing open heart surgery at the age of 26. 

Raising money for the British Heart Foundation (BHF), Alex completed the course in an impressive 2 hours: 2 minutes and smashed his fundraising total by raising in excess of £3,000. 

After completing the challenge Alex commented: “I am delighted with my time, it was hard work but my training certainly paid off. It was great seeing so many friends, family and colleagues along the way, their support certainly spurred me on.” 

“I’ve been overwhelmed by people’s generosity, I set myself a goal of £300 but I’ve now exceeded the £3,000 mark. It’s just incredible! I’m so grateful that I’ve been able to give something back to the BHF. If it wasn’t for their work I may have not been able to undergo the procedure that I did.”

Alex was supported by three colleagues who also took up the half marathon challenge, Alison Horsley, Rob Twitchett and Andrew Spence. All completed the course in 2 hours: 10 minutes or less.

First diagnosed in September 2013 as a heart murmur, Alex was referred for an ultrasound and a CT scan which identified both a leaky bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and an aneurysm of the aortic root. During February 2014 Alex underwent open heart surgery at the Royal Brompton hospital in Chelsea where the revolutionary ‘David Procedure’ was used to fix both the aneurysm and the valve.  The BHF have funded research which has revolutionised the way in which heart conditions are diagnosed and treated.

If you would like to make a donation to Alex's fundraising, please click here.