We would like to say a huge thank you to Donna who has raised an amazing £17,000 for the Cardiology Department at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
Donna unexpectedly suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while she was at home alone with her children Oliver (11) and Arianna (9). The pair rushed to her aid and called 999. While Oliver put his mum into the recovery position and talked to the call handler, Arianna ran to get help from a neighbour who performed CPR on Donna until the ambulance arrived. Without a doubt the trio saved her live, and Donna is hugely thankful to them all and very proud of her children.
She spent 15 nights in hospital and had an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) fitted. This amazing piece of technology works to pace her heart out of a fatal arrhythmia if it occurs again and, if that fails, it will give a shock similar to a defibrillator.
Donna was inspired to give back to the department who got her on the road to recovery, and she hosted a fundraising dinner at The Copthorne Hotel on 7th March. She raised a phenomenal £28,000 which she split two ways – £17,ooo has been donated to the Cardiology Department where it will be used to purchase six telemetry systems which will continuously monitor a patient’s heart rhythm and electric activity using a wireless transmitter. The remaining £11,000 is being used to purchase 8 defibrillators for the local community.
Claire Robertson from NHS Grampian Charity says, “We are absolutely in awe of Donna’s incredible fundraising efforts, and the impact this is going to have on other patients receiving treatment and support in the Cardiology Department.
“The new telemetry systems will make a big difference to patients by significantly increasing the number of people who can be monitored at any given time, and so reducing waiting times.
“Thank you to Donna and all her family, friends, and everyone who supported her fundraising efforts – you have all made a very real difference to cardiology patients here in Grampian.”
Visit the British Heart Foundation to find out more about CPR and learn a lifesaving skill.