Former heart patient Janet Bedford is calling on people to support the My WiSH Every Heart Matters appeal.
The 78-year-old, who celebrates her birthday next week, had to undergo major surgery after being diagnosed with heart failure back in January 2016.
She suffered from shortness of breath and lack of sleep, her feet were swollen and because of her ill health there were fears that she would not be able to undergo an operation.
However, after talking to medical staff and her two daughters, Tina Bedford and Tracy Porter, she was finally persuaded to have the surgery and is now back to full health ... even going swimming at her local pool once a week.
Janet, who lives in Queen Street, Newmarket, said that the treatment she received was “wonderful” and praised the medical teams at the West Suffolk Hospital, in Bury St Edmunds, and Papworth Hospital.
And she backed efforts to raise £500,000 for a new cardiac unit at the West Suffolk Hospital to help fund building a brand new cardiac centre to save people from the area having to travel long distances into Cambridgeshire.
The West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust is investing £5.2m in developing a state of the art cardiac suite that will provide quicker access to more treatments.
But the £500,000 My WiSH is hoping to raise will lead to the whole unit, which is currently fragmented on different floors, being brought together in one purpose-built centre.
“I feel very blessed and I feel very well now and without them I do not think I would be here,” said Janet, who had surgery to repair two heart valves and a new pacemaker fitted between February and March 2016.
“I was in hospital for 15 weeks.
“I got through it and here I am ... it’s just wonderful what they did for me and I now swim once a week at Newmarket Leisure Centre.
“But to have the whole cardiac unit in one place at the West Suffolk would be absolutely brilliant and so much better for patients.”
If you want to support the Every Heart Matters appeal go to the website www.mywishcharity.co.uk
If you would like to donate to the appeal you can do so by going to Justgiving.com/ehma or text EHMA17 £10 to 70070.
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