Kay Temple, who is being treated at James Paget University Hospitals in Gorleston, has purchased and donated a Portable ECG machine to the hospitals’ Cardiac Unit using money she and her family have raised.
Kay was diagnosed with an incurable illness, Amyloidosis, and was given two months to live in 2015 due to heart failure bought on by her condition. Amazingly Kay is still with us today which she attributes to the fantastic care given by the Cardiac Nurses at JPUH.
The hospital currently has only one Life Card Machine, which is a portable ECG machine, meaning the whole department have to share this one piece of life-saving equipment.
To thank the team for their dedicated care, Kay wanted to do something which would enable them to help others as they have her. And so she decided she was going to raise enough money to buy them another Card Machine.
In order to raise the amount of money needed, Kay’s daughter Tracey Smith raised £1100 by doing a parachute jump at the UK Parachute Association in Beccles on 29 October. A further £800 was raised at Kay’s 50th Wedding Anniversary party, where guests were asked to donate prizes instead of buying gifts. Those prizes, along with some bought by Kay and her husband, Victor Temple, were then raffled off.
Tracey Smith said “Mum wanted to thank the nurses for their care and support and I really wanted to help her achieve her goal so I decided to do a sponsored parachute jump. I was overwhelmed by the support and generosity my friends, family and colleagues have shown.”
These two events raised enough for the new Card Machine with £300 left over which has been donated to Cardiac Nurses Fund.
Kay Temple said “Mickey cox and Janet Shreeve (from JPUH Cardiac Team) have been absolutely fantastic. Nothing has ever been too much trouble and we’ve laughed together and cried together. Mickey’s Support, empathy and bedside manner have been impeccable. You can’t buy life but you can help to save someone else’s and I’m getting joy out of doing something for others.”
Janet Shreeve added “This piece of equipment has been and will continue to be very useful for our cardiac patients, enabling us to identify any heart rate changes and liaise with their consultant about any changes necessary. Therefore having an additional machine in the unit will be invaluable.’