Climbing highest mountains saved my life, says GP who cheated death

Dr Alistair Sutcliffe's daredevil pursuits, which have included scaling the highest peak on each of the seven continents, miraculously protected him from a deadly bleed in his brain earlier this year.

When he was admitted to hospital, medical experts discovered two circulatory systems pumping blood into Dr Sutcliffe's brain, rather than the usual one, which stopped him suffering a stroke.

And it seems as if his climbing passion, which led to him spending extended periods at high altitude, may have kick-started this life-saving system.

Only two per cent of people pull through after suffering a bleed on the brain like the one experienced by the super-fit GP as they are usually fatal – and anyone who does survive is unlikely to make a full recovery.

But Dr Sutcliffe, who was admitted to intensive care at Hull Royal Infirmary on February 1 after falling ill at home, is now planning to embark on a bid to become the first person to scale Everest twice on the same trip.

His surgeon wife, Claire, 37, rushed to his bedside and was told to say her last goodbye to her husband after doctors discovered a massive bleed.

Dr Sutcliffe, 45, from Sleights, near Whitby, said: "I really had three options. Dying, the most likely, suffering a big stroke or recovering with problems. I was so sure I might die that I phoned my dad from

A&E, I said: 'Dad, I love you and you have been a great dad'."

But the GP defied his fellow professionals' prognosis and says his attempts to conquer some of the world's most challenging climbs helped save him.

Dr Sutcliffe is believed to have broken the record for climbing the world's highest peaks in seven continents all on the first attempt – Mount Everest in Asia, Denali in North America, Aconcagua in South America, Kilimanjaro in Africa, Vinson in Antarctica, Elbrus in Europe and Carstensz Pyramid in Australasia.

"Climbing saved my life. When I was admitted to hospital they found I had two circulations in my brain. It's extremely rare and is why I've never had a problem climbing at high altitudes.

"I never used oxygen until the last few thousand feet and never even needed it much then. It was probably because of the secondary circulation.

"When babies are born, their foetal circulation closes down at birth when the baby is exposed to air. Mine must have re-developed because I have been exposed to very low oxygen levels.

"When you are at high altitude the body needs to move more red blood cells round the body to carry oxygen to the brain and will adapt to try and do it. I think the circulation system kicked in to feed blood to my brain."

Dr Sutcliffe was back home less than two weeks after being admitted to hospital. His recuperation has given him time to write his memoirs, The Hardest Climb, which are due to be published next year.

Royalties from the book will go to St Catherine's Hospice in

Scarborough.