Great North runners are all heart
A team of runners will have saving hearts at the forefront of their minds this Sunday when they are stood on the start line at the SimplyHealth Great North Run.
Ten very special individuals will be running in aid of North East Ambulance Service Trust Fund to raise money for public access defibrillators.
Amongst the team are two NEAS staff, senior health advisor Terri-Anne Maine and call handler Jacqui Henderson, as well as student paramedic Philippa Nilsen.
The North East Ambulance Service Trust Fund was set up to give those people who want to make a gesture of thanks to the service, the opportunity to donate to the charity. One of the initiatives that the Trust is looking to build funds for is to install 60 publicly accessible defibrillators in higher risk areas throughout the region.
Approximately 60,000 people suffer a cardiac arrest out of hospital in England every year and of these, 28,000 patients will have resuscitation started or continued by the ambulance service. A cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival falls by around 7 to 10 percent with every minute that defibrillation is delayed.
NEAS chairman Douglas Taylor said, “Our charity seeks to support local communities with lifesaving equipment which can make the difference in the early stages of a cardiac arrest. When someone rings 999 for a patient in cardiac arrest, our call handlers can see where the nearest defibrillator is located to inform bystanders. Support from these runners is really valuable in raising both money and awareness and on behalf of the charity and the Trust, we are hugely proud of their efforts.”
To support the charity’s runners and find out more about their personal stories, visit: http://bit.ly/2k7xv7M or donate directly at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/philippa-nilsen, https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/vicki-newman2, https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jacqui-henderson2 and https://www.justgiving.com/Terri-Anne-Maine.
Survival rates for cardiac arrest patients is 8.6%. This is significantly lower than for populations in other developed countries like Holland (21%), Seattle (20%) and Norway (25%). Currently, the rate of initial bystander CPR in England is reported as being 43% compared to up to 73% in other countries.
To find out more about community defibrillators visit: http://bit.ly/2T79gXG or to make a general donation to the North East Ambulance Service Charitable Fund, click: https://www.neas.nhs.uk/get-involved/making-a-donation.aspx
The North East Ambulance Service covers 3,200 square miles across the region. In 2017/18 the service answered over 1.4 million emergency 999 and NHS 111 calls, responded to 280,00 incidents that resulted in a patient being taken to hospital, treated and discharged 27,000 patients with telephone advice and treated and discharged over 100,000 patients at home. In the same year, clinical crews responded to 126,746 of our highest priority patients within the national targets and scheduled care crews completed almost 580,000 patient transport journeys.
*Ends*
Notes to editors
For more information, contact the NEAS press office on 0191 430 2099 or email publicrelations@neas.nhs.uk
Philippa Nilsen
Philippa is currently training to become a paramedic at the University of Sunderland and she said, “As a student paramedic currently studying with the University of Sunderland, during my clinical placement with North East Ambulance Service I have been able to witness first-hand the importance of early defibrillation in cardiac arrests, and the importance of fundraising for community defibrillators.
“Therefore, the opportunity to run in the Great North Run 2019 on behalf of the North East Ambulance Service Charitable Fund; raising money to support its volunteers and install important medical equipment across the North East, is an exciting and honourable opportunity that I am grateful to have been given."
Donate to her Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/philippa-nilsen
Vicki Hall
Vicki, from Kenton, works as a ward clerk at the Freeman Hospital and is running in the prestigious race to give something back to the Ambulance Service, to support the vital emergency work that the Trust do.
Vicki said, “I wanted to run for NEAS as they provide a very valuable and important service to the public. They are usually the first port of call when someone is unwell or hurt, before anybody even gets to see a doctor or nurse or arrive at hospital.
“NEAS staff are the people who can save lives and the money we are trying to raise is important to help recruit and train these amazing people, as well as provide necessary equipment and support a brilliant service.”
Donate to her Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/vicki-newman2
Jacqui Henderson
Call handler Jacqui Henderson has worked for the Trust for eight years and after battling cancer, she wants to give something back to the NHS that helped save her life.
Jacqui said, “In May 2018 I went to hospital for a routine hysterectomy but unfortunately had a lot of complications following the surgery. Not long after it was discovered that I had aggressive leiomyoma sarcoma cancer.
“After months of treatment, I got the all clear and thanks to the NHS, I now live a healthy and fulfilled life, raising my two boys.
"The Ambulance Serviced helped my father before he passed away from terminal cancer. I have also had to use the Ambulance Service in the past when I went into anaphalactic shock after eating a brazil nut.
"I'm doing the Great North Run as it is such a worthwhile cause. I feel that I have been given a second chance and feel so grateful to continue to be a mam to my beautiful boys aged six and seven and a partner to my other half Dominic who has been my rock.
"I want to raise money for the North East Ambulance Service Charitable Fund because they save lives every day.”
Donate to her Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jacqui-henderson2
Terri-Anne Maine
Senior health advisor Terri-Anne Maine works in the emergency operations centre within the Trust, dealing with life-threatening emergency every day.
Terri-Anne said, “Our call handlers, dispatch officers and frontline crew touch the lives of many people every day and I know all too well how much that means to patients, by helping them as part of my job.
“Our service can make a difference to the lives of patients and at some point in the future, either us or our family and friends might need emergency help, which is why I want to support the service in any way I can.”
Donate to her Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/Terri-Anne-Maine
MEDIA CONTACT: NEAS PRESS OFFICE, 07559 918672