35 years after they saved her life and rushed her to the Freeman Hospital, Natalie Walsh has been reunited with the hero paramedics who saved her.
Natalie was born “fighting for her life” due to a rare congential heart defect that means her heart was effectively “wired the wrong way around”. After birth, she was rushed north from Stockton and en-route she almost died, but she thanks paramedics Bob Wright and Jackie Southall for saving her.
Back then, Jackie was a trainee working alongside Bob – the only paramedic on duty in the area. As they transported Natalie to the Freeman’s specialist heart unit in Newcastle, the heart monitor on Natalie’s incubator failed.
Jackie attached her own monitor to Natalie and this meant doctors could keep track of her condition. Back in 1989, the Stockton, Yarm and Thornaby Advertiser reported on its front page: “Quick thinking by paramedic assistant Jackie Southall meant that the doctor could check on the baby’s condition, using the paramedic’s own monitor.”
Natalie has embarked on a twelve-month fundraising campaign to give back to the Children’s Heart Unit Fund charity which supports the Freeman unit and the team that looked after her. After reaching out to Jackie on social media as part of this, she was able to invite she and Bob to a special coffee morning near to her home in Norton, near Stockton.
(Image: Natalie Walsh)
Natalie told ChronicleLive: “I had the pleasure of meeting the paramedics who saved my life by driving me to the Freeman on the day I was born! And the coffee morning was a huge success. We raised an incredible £2,069.35.
“It’s no exaggeration to say that the turnout was fantastic I’m so overwhelmed! It was wonderful to see so many people gathered together, enjoying a cup of tea and some cake in support of CHUF.”
Natalie’s twelve-month plan comes after a life which has seen her frequently in and out of hospital – she has undergone “countless” heart surgeries, she said – while she also knows it is inevitable that she will require a heart transplant Her aim is to raise £12,000 over the year – and the weekend’s coffee morning has helped her well on her way.
Natalie’s plan is to tackle a range of challenges over the rest of the year, including hikes and five kilometre runs. Last month she said: “I wanted to set myself a challenge that would help others, help me with my mental health, and help me lose weight too. And I wanted to do something that was not just a fundraising challenge but also to raise awareness of heart and organ donation.”
To support Natalie’s challenge, check her JustGiving page here or follow her on Facebook to stay up-to-date on her year of challenges. Find out more about the Children’s Heart Unit Fund (CHUF) here.
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View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/health/heart-failure-survivor-reunited-paramedics-30935257
