No free op unless you have a stroke

He plans 10k runs to go private

- RUTH SUTER

A DAD of two young children has been left devastated after being told the NHS cannot fund a life-saving operation for him unless he suffers a stroke.

Scott Rowan, 33, from Oban, is trying to raise £20,000 to go private to have an operation routinely funded by the NHS in England but that his health board won't pay for.

He was diagnosed in 2021 with a patent foramen ovale - a hole in his heart that needs to be closed to cut his risk of a stroke and suffering from future health issues.

Without it, he has had to give up his dream career as a diver because he cannot pass a key medical test.