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 A
new heart defibrillator means lives could be saved thanks to the charity
work of a dinner lady.
Sheila
Clarke, who works at St Mary Magdelen School, Mortlake, raised £3,600 for
the machine, which is now in place at the Sheen Lane Health Centre.
Mrs
Clarke, with the support of a friend’s son and pupil at the school,
Harry Hutcheon, raised money for the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young
(CRY).
Events
included a karaoke competition, table top sales, sponsored walks and the
collection of 1p and 2p coins.
Speaking
as she handed over the defibrillator to the centre, the 59-year-old said:
“I would like to thank the PTA for helping me to fund raise for a
defibrillator. I lost two
nieces to cardiomyopathy, this is why I am so passionate about making
people aware of our work and trying to get heart screening for all of our
children so they do not have to die at a young age.
If I can raise money for just one machine I feel I have done my
best.”
Mrs
Clarke, who lives in Dover House Road, Putney, started raising money in
1995 and set her heart on providing the centre at which she is a patient,
with the defibrillator four and a half years ago.
“Hopefully
it will help to save lives if someone should have a heart attack,” she
said. Speaking on behalf of
the practice, Dr Tina Grayson said: “Should anybody require
resuscitation within the practice premises or, because it is so movable,
in the near-by area we have the equipment. We are very grateful to Mrs Clarke. We are all down for a training session in a couple of weeks
time to familiarise ourselves with the machine and all members of staff
will be trained to use it.”
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