Rochdale Heartbeat charity donates 32nd defibrillator

(L-R) Margaret Pickersgill (Heartbeat member), Margaret Mather (Heartbeat Chairperson), Susan Ridgard (Heartbeat Secretary), Revd. Rachel Battershell (Vicar St. Andrews) and Pam Wiseman (Treasurer)

Members of the Rochdale Heartbeat charity presented a defibrillator to St. Andrews Church, Littleborough, on Sunday (18 August).

This is the 32nd defibrillator that Rochdale Heartbeat has purchased and donated since 2012.

The decision to provide these defibrillators was taken due to the Bolton Wanderers footballer Fabrice Muamba suffering a cardiac arrest during a football match on 17 March 2012, when the healthy and fit footballer was just 23.

Rochdale Heartbeat has also purchased two handheld heart scanners, costing £4,995 each, for the coronary care units at Fairfield and Royal Oldham.

Funding for the scanner at Fairfield was provided by the Masons Centenary Fund, whilst the one at Royal Oldham was raised by Heartbeat members and donations.

Various other equipment has also been donated by Rochdale Heartbeat, such as 24-hour heart monitors and specialised stethoscopes.

Rochdale Heartbeat was formed in 1988, and became a registered charity in 1990, the aim of Heartbeat being, that it offered heart patients the opportunity to continue their recovery programme after the NHS rehab finishes by providing the same facilities for exercise and support.

The members are all volunteers and all the funds raised by events and donations goes into providing defibrillators or other equipment for heart patients.

The first defibrillators were donated to schools and sports venues in and around the Rochdale borough, then as word got around, churches and community centres sent in requests for a defibrillator.

Members of Heartbeat also pay weekly visits to heart patients at Fairfield Hospital’s Silver Heart unit to reassure them that they can make a full recovery after having a heart attack, and also to make them aware that there is a support group if they wish to join.

The group meet fortnightly on a Tuesday evening 6.30pm to 8.00pm in the Physiotherapy department at Rochdale Infirmary.