Simon Clarke

A MAN who has twice had open heart surgery is planning to do a 45-mile sponsored walk for the charity which helped save his life.

Determined Simon Clarke, 23, is raising money for Wessex Heartbeat, which supports the work of Southampton General Hospital's Wessex Cardiac Centre.

Every year the centre treats more than 20,000, including 1,000 babies and children.

Simon, pictured, who is the secretary and vice-president of the Lions Club of Southampton, knows first hand what it is like living with a heart problem after he was born with Fallot's Tetralogy.

He had corrective surgery as a 16-month-old baby and had his second open-heart surgery at Southampton General Hospital in 1998, when a donor heart valve was fitted.

He was in hospital for a week and recovered at home for a month before returning to Weston Park Boys' school in Southampton.

"When I had my last check-up I was told that the donor valve is as good as it was back in 1998 when they put it in.

"There are still limits to what I can and can't do, but I'm determined to enjoy life to the full," he said.

The 45-mile route will take in various Lions clubs' areas including Salisbury, Totton, Romsey, and Eastleigh before reaching his final destination of Southampton on June 9.

"I have never done anything like this before," said Simon, a systems administrator with Carnival UK.

"I'm going to have to organise some practice walks if I'm going to meet the challenge."

Simon is being accompanied on the walk, which starts on June 7, by Richard Wilson-Smith, from the Totton and Eling Lions Club, who is raising money for Water Aid.

If anyone would like to make a donation, cheques made payable to Southampton Lions Club should be sent to: Simon Clarke, Southampton Lions Club, 27 The Polygon, Southampton, SO15 2BP.

11:52am Wednesday 28th May 2008

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