Chesterfield Royal Marine needs urgent funding for heart operation

Jamie Doxey, 28, is also a fully qualified diving instructor with the British Sub Aqua Club and has taught military personnel to scuba dive.

But 18 months ago he suffered a severe decompression injury - which almost caused him to die - while on one of the military’s most difficult in-water courses, 12 miles offshore.

Assessments afterwards failed to provide any clear answers, but three weeks later he underwent more tests and was found to have a patent foramen ovale (PFO) - a hole in his heart.

Jamie, who is married and whose wife Chloe is expecting their first baby, said: “I was completely gobsmacked. I believed I was in peak physical condition, this news entirely knocked the wind out of my sails. I couldn’t comprehend after everything I’ve put my body through in my life, I could be suffering from this condition, but here I was faced with that reality.”

The funding needed for such an operation is around £20,000.

But St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London has agreed to do it for £10,000.

And Jamie has offered to teach anyone who donates the chance to learn how to scuba dive or surf board in return.

Simon Metcalfe, friend and colleague of Jamie’s, said: “Sadly, due to the fact that whilst above water Jamie can lead a normal otherwise healthy life, neither the military or NHS were prepared to fund an operation to fix the PFO, the news of which has further devastated him - his passion in life is being underwater doing what he loves and sharing this skill with others. Without the operation he will never be able to scuba dive again.”

More than £2,500 people has been raised so far.

Writing on his Go Fund Me page, Jamie posted: “I now turn to you, the good people of the world, to help fund the operation on my heart. Please help fix a Royal Marine’s broken heart and kick-start his diving career again.

“As I previously mentioned I’m also fully qualified dive instructor so your donations will not go without reward. Any donation, however big or small is, greatly appreciated.”

If you would like to make a donation, click here