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Fundraising News
Calling all Sainsbury's shoppers!
Please nominate A-A to be your local Sainsbury's store official charity partner of the year. If we win we will benefit from fundraising events including collections as well as volunteering. Customers can nominate their charity of choice between the 6th and 26th May 2012 by completing a nomination form and putting it in the 'Local Charity of the Year' voting box in store. The winning charity should be announced from a shortlist in June. (These dates and procedures may vary slightly from store to store).
10,000 metres for Cardiologist
Ravi will be participating in the Bupa 10,000 on 27th May 2012.
Ravi commmented "Many months ago one of my closest friends and I talked each other into signing up to do the BUPA London 10K run in order to get fit and raise money for charity. I had not 'run' for over 20 years before this February!"
"I am a cardiologist with a specialist interest in heart rhythm disorders. My dad suffered a fatal cardiac arrest due to a heart rhythm disorder when I was relatively young - since his death (16 years ago), there have been so many advances in the treatment of heart failure and heart rhythm disorders which unfortunately were not available then."
If you feel inspired by Ravi and would like to support him, please visit his Just Giving page.
Stu runs the Shakespeare Marathon
On the 29th April, Stuart will be pounding the streets of Stratford upon Avon as he takes on 26.2 miles to raise money for A-A.
In January 2011 during a football game Stuart experienced heart palpatations and subsequently a very high heart rate for 2-3 hours.
Stuart said " Paramedics were called and after initially being told I had had a heart attack at just 34 years old I vowed to look after myself a lot more in the future and this is the culmination of my recovery."
Stuart was later diagnosed as having a rare heart condition called Wolff Parkinson White Sydrome which he had since birth. He continued "After two heart operations to ablate the problem the second of which was succesful I am now completely cured."
If you would like to support Stuart, please visit his Just Giving page http://www.justgiving.com/Stuart-Ealing.
Good Luck Stuart.
Not One But Two
Sean from South Yorkshire will be participating in two marathons in five weeks to raise money for A-A. His marathon campaign will start at Greenwich Park, London in the Virgin London Marathon on 22nd April, he will then head north to compete in the Edinburgh Marathon on 27th May.
Sean suffers with Long QT, a condition which can cause a disturbance in the electrical system of the heart and in some cases, can be fatal. He was first diagnosed with the condition in 2009, resulting in him having a device called an ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator) fitted. This device will detect a life threatening heart rhythm and treat it with an electrical shock.
Since having the ICD fitted, in November 2011, Sean experienced a second episode of dangerous heart rhythms, resulting in the device shocking his heart back into normal rhythm.
If you would like to support Sean in his marathon campaign, please visit Sean’s Just Giving page. Alternatively contact the fundraising team on 01789 450 787 or email fiona@heartrhythmcharity.org.uk.
Sara's Triathlon
A Lead Manager from Dorset Cardiac and Stroke Network will be participating in the Shock Absorbers Women’s Only Triathlon at Dorney Lake, Eton on June 10th to raise vital money for A-A.
Sara said “I was 'persuaded' to do the Challenge distance: 800m open water swim followed by a 30km cycle and a 7.5km run. It's not going to be an easy day but I'm determined to do it."
Sara continues “I've chosen to fundraise for the Arrhythmia Alliance (A-A) who are a coalition of charities, patient groups, patients, carers, medical groups and allied professionals working to promote timely and effective diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmias.”
“You are five times more likely to have a stroke through undetected or untreated abnormal heart rhythms."
"Having seen the devastation that strokes cause to people and their families, I'm really passionate about raising the awareness of pulse checking so that abnormalities can be detected and strokes can be prevented.”
If you would like to support Sara’s fundraising efforts go to www.justgiving.com/Sara-Leonard . Alternatively if you would like to find out where a triathlon is taking place in your area contact the fundraising team on 01789 450 787 or email fiona@heartrhythmcharity.org.uk .
Elise to do the double for A-A
Well done
to Elise Robertson who ran the Brighton Marathon on Sunday 15th April 2012 in a time of 5 hours and 38 minutes and raised money for A-A along the way.
Elise of Brighton participated in two endurance events running a total of 39 miles for Arrhythmia Alliance. Her first endurance event was the Brighton Half Marathon on Sunday 19th February followed by Brighton Marathon on Sunday 15th April. This is an incredible challenge for someone who until recently suffered unexplained episodes of loss of consciousness. Elise endured this condition for over two years and in the summer of 2011, she finally received a pacemaker for an AV node block.
After having the pacemaker fitted, Elise said “I suddenly felt 'alive' and 'bionic'! I could hardly wait to live my life again! Upon waking from my surgery, I quite literally, started my training for the Brighton Half Marathon. This has been an extremely long process, but an integral part to my cardiac rehab. I started off with shuffling along the Brighton seafront to jogging for 30 seconds/walking 2 minutes! I can now run 10 miles non-stop.”
To help Elise achieve her phenomenal fundraising target of £2000, please go to http://www.justgiving.com/Elise-Robertson
Elise said “Arrhythmia Alliance provided me with advice and support about my particular arrhythmia and how to best deal with living with a pacemaker. I really need other supporters of A-A to help me achieve my goal for this fantastic charity!”
If you feel inspired by Elise’s story and would like to participate in an endurance event to raise essential funds for A-A, contact the fundraising team on 01789 450 787 or alternatively email fiona@heartrhythmcharity.org.uk.
Olympic Medal Winner, Joanne Jackson Launches Warwick School’s Olympic Gold Challenge
Joanne Jackson, Olympic Bronze medallist & World Record holder from the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and her sponsor Cirrus Healthcare visited Warwick School on Wednesday 11th January, to kick start their Olympic Gold Challenge.
Joanne spent time talking to the Warwick School Swimmers about her experiences and posed for photographs with the keen swimmers.
The Gold Challenge is organised in partnership with the British Olympics Association, Paralympics GB and Sport England. Programme participants are sponsored to undertake a minimum of three hours’ training in at least five Olympic or Paralympic sports, or to complete an endurance event. The challenge needs to be completed by 31st December 2012.
The Warwick School students have chosen to participate in an endurance event which will involve swimming 2012km. There will be two separate teams participating in the challenge; a team of 18 boys aged 13 to 17 and a team of 68 boys aged 7 to 17 who are keen to participate and swim as much as they can.
It is anticipated that the challenge will take up to 10 weeks and the money raised from the challenge will go to A-A.
If you are interested in participating in the Gold Challenge get in touch with the team on 01789 450 787 or email: gold@heartrhythmcharity.org.uk
Team A-A
Join Team A-A and register to r
un in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival on 27th May 2012. To register your place, go to http://www.edinburgh-marathon.com/ and raise vital money for A-A. If running in the Marathon is a little daunting, then why not sign up to EMF Half Marathon http://www.edinburgh-marathon.com/?emf_half_marathon.
Once you have registered your place contact Fiona on fiona@heartrhythmcharity.org.uk or call 01789 450 787 to receive your fundraising pack.
Don’t look down!
Raj participated in a tandem sky dive on 10th December on behalf of Arrhythmia Alliance and has so far raised £630!
Raj’s mother had been suffering with symptoms of an arrhythmia for years, but doctors just put it down to high blood pressure and her weight. At the beginning of 2011 Raj’s mother started to struggle to walk even short distances due to breathlessness and tightness in her chest. After suggesting to doctors that she might be suffering with angina because it was in the family, she was sent for a fitness test at the local hospital where an arrhythmia was identified. After a 24 hour heart monitor it was confirmed she had an arrhythmia with a heart rate of 45bpm and slowing. Consequently she was fast-tracked for a pacemaker.
Raj is glad that his mother’s arrhythmia was caught in time and Raj hopes that participating in a fundraising event such as this, will help those who are misdiagnosed and also make more people aware of arrhythmia’s and the dangers of it not being treated properly.
Raj said ‘So if you kno
w me, my amazing mum or know someone with a heart condition like arrhythmia or someone with a pacemaker, or even a heart or a mum. Please support my sponsored charity tandem skydive in December for the Arrhythmia Alliance’ - http://www.justgiving.com/SkydiverRaj
To watch Raj in action go to http://youtu.be/iQOYdqrVkw8
Well done Raj!
Unique Charity Cookbook
WI Lite Stratford (part of the national WI) has produced a unique cookbook designed for entertaining family and friends, featuring three course dinner party recipes sourced from some of Stratford Upon Avon's finest eateries including Grants of Sheep Street, RSC Rooftop Restaurant, The Arden Hotel and No. 9 Church St. From roast duck with balsamic cherries to spiced tomato and bean soup, lemongrass panna cotta to chocolate fondant, there is something to suit all tastes. There's even a section on how to cook the perfect roast dinner and some fabulous cocktail recipes. Priced at just £8, it's a unique addition to your cookbook collection and will make an ideal Christmas present.
All profits will go to local charities which include A-A! WI Lite are aiming to raise enough money to enable a defibrillator and associated training to be provided near the recreation area in Stratford upon Avon.
Copies are available online at www.wilite.co.uk, a small charge will be made to cover postage and packing for online orders.
A Bakers Dozen
Are you a keen cook and would like to bake cakes on the charities behalf, on an ad hoc basis?
From time to time the charity requires cakes to sell on its stalls at local fairs and fetes. If you would like to get involved and bake a selection of tasty treats for our next event contact Fiona on 01789 451 826 or email: fiona@heartrhythmcharity.org.uk.
Alternatively why don’t you hold your own cake sale with the money from the sales going to A-A.
Defibrillator Launched at Blackwell Village
We are pleased to announce that Blackwell Village in Warwickshire has joined the campaign to become ‘Heart Safe’.
Residents of the Warwickshire village now have access to a life-saving Automated External Defibrillator (AED) which
was unveiled at a Restart the Heart Education and Awareness Evening held at Blackwell Village Hall on Tuesday 6th December 2011.
The session was provided by West Midlands Ambulance Service, John Davies who is the Community First Responder Trainer. The defibrillator is located at Blackwell Business Park, Blackwell, Shipston on Stour.
If you would like to make your community Heart Safe contact A-A on 01789 450 682 alternatively email: info@heartrhythmcharity.org.uk
The first of three lifesaving defibrillators launched in Hook Norton, Oxfordshire
The Heart Rhythm Charity, Arrhythmia Alliance, is pleased to announce the launch of a life-saving Automated External Defibrillator (AED) at the village of Hook Norton in Oxfordshire.
Click here to see press release.
If you would like more information on making your community ‘Heart Safe’ contact Joe on 01789 450787or email
Big Boost to Fundraising for Local Charity
Each donation you make means a great deal to us. Funds raised go towards the development of resources that benefit patients, medical professionals and the general public.
Click here to view the press release.
Calling all fundraisers – your charity needs you!!
Have you ever considered raising awareness by holding a fundraising event?
Ever thought of asking friends and family to donate to AA as your birthday gift?
Wendy and Fiona are looking forward to increasing AA’s Fundraising events calendar and are looking for new recruits!
As Mr. Tesco says; ‘every little helps’, so please do not be put off by the thought of having to organise the event to end all others!
We are so grateful to all of our supporters for giving their time and energy to promoting the work of Arrhythmia Alliance.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any ideas of your own, alternatively please follow this link to our ‘Fundraising Top Tips’ to get inspired.
