Press officer tackles triathlon for charities that saved son

Andy Dunne is cycling, swimming and running to raise money for two charities that helped save his son when he was born with a complex heart defect last summer.

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Published on Thursday 13 July 2017
Last updated on Friday 21 June 2019
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Andy outside the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children on stage one of his triathlon - the Bristol 100k Nightrider.

The deconstructed triathlon, which started with the 100k Nightrider cycle ride in Bristol two weeks ago, sees Andy swimming from Pier to Pier in Bournemouth this weekend and running the Great Bristol Half Marathon in September. He is raising money for the British Heart Foundation and The Grand Appeal – the charity linked to the Royal Bristol Children’s Hospital.

Last August his son, Imre, was born with the condition 'transposition of the great arteries' requiring quick medical intervention and major heart surgery shortly after birth. Thanks to the incredible skills and talents of staff at the Bristol Children’s Hospital, nearly twelve months on little Imre is thriving.

Ahead of the swim this weekend, Andy said: “When we found out about Imre’s condition last year our world was turned upside down. It really was down to the incredible care and support offered by these charities and our fantastic NHS that we made it through.

"A year on, with Imre doing really well, I wanted to do something to mark it and say an enormous thank you to two organisations carrying out such vital work.”