Dave revved up to drive end to end for charities

AN 81-year-old grandad is taking on a fund-raising drive of his life to say thank you for the “outstanding” care and support he received from two charities.

- By STAFF REPORTER

Dave Whittington and his wife Thelma, 79, from Shepshed, begin their epic drive from John O'Groats to Land's End in their 57-year-old MGC Classic car today.

Their “Drive for Life” will see them travel 1,178 miles over four days, from the tip of Scotland to the bottom edge of England, to raise money for the Royal Papworth Charity and the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA UK).

As well as money, they aim to raise awareness of the disease which almost cost Dave his life - and the specialist surgery which saved him.

Dave said: "My road to recovery has been long and at times difficult but I am determined to challenge myself further in aid of what I feel are two hugely worthwhile causes."

In the midst of the pandemic in 2020, the grandfather-of-10 was diagnosed with chronic thrombo-embolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), a relatively rare disease where blood clots block the lung's arteries, causing high blood pressure and common symptoms such as chest pain, fatigue and shortness of breath.