Heart attack survivor completes Chicago Marathon for charity
A double heart attack survivor travelled across the pond to run a marathon in aid of charity.
Rob Hawthorne, aged 44, completed the Chicago Marathon, while raising money for Action Heart and Russells Hall Hospital.
Mr Hawthorne suffered a double heart and cardiac arrest in 2004.
The run had been on Rob’s bucket list for many years. He took part in the challenge to thank Action Heart and all at Russells Hall Hospital, following his life-saving procedures.
This year marked 30 years since Paul Davies-Hale, the race director at Action Heart – the Rehabilitation Centre at Russell’s Hall Hospital - won the event in 1989.
Paul, a former British athlete was competing in his first marathon in 1989 and on a hot day, ran the event in 2 hours 11 minutes.
Rob trained by completing triathlons and swimming for many hours at Halesowen's swimming baths, along with jogging around canal paths of the Black Country and taking advice from Paul.
Rob has set a fundraising target of £750 for Action Heart and any additional donations can be sent via www.justgiving.com/actionheart
The aim is to continue to raise awareness of heart-related issues and insuring family and friends and a wider audience get their hearts checked out.
