Fitness Blueprint ENGINE RACE for Heartbeat House. ♥️

At Fitness Blueprint we are passionate about supporting others. Our upcoming event Engine Race is no different. We have chosen to raise as much money as possible for Heartbeat House.

Why? Well, Hannah who is one of our amazing coaches has leant on the support provided by Heartbeat House on many occasions whilst her sister receives the support she needs. Katherine, Hannah’s sister also has a message for you:

I'm Katharine, I'm 33 and love all things cosy, happy and family related. I was born with a congenital heart and lung condition which has led to two open heart surgeries, many heart catheters and stents, 5 pacemakers, a variety of different medication treatments and many, many, hospital stays. My heart beats to its very own, non-conventinal rhythm, has various holes and narrowings in veins and arteries and has a right atrium that is 3x the size it should be. This oversized atrium is pushing on my lungs and restricting my oxygen levels. The lungs themselves have a lot of air trapping and mosaic attenuation. All of this results in chronic symptoms such as fatigue, breathlessness, fluid retention and hypertension.

I have deteriorated significantly over the last 3 years. This has obviously had an impact on mine and my families lives. There are so many difficulties and hardships that come hand in hand with congenital and chronic conditions. These difficulties have a significant impact on patients families, as well as the patient itself.

Speaking of families, you may know my wonderful sister, Hannah, who has helped to organise and is participating in this challenge to raise money for Heartbeat House. Hannah herself has stayed at Heartbeat and was there for me (as she always is) when I was in hospital. Heartbeat House is accommodation for family members and loved ones of those admitted onto cardiac wards in Southampton General Hospital. It has "24 bedrooms, 11 twins and 13 single. The communal areas are comfortable and provide a "Home from Home" feel, whilst being a 3 minute walk from the cardiac wards."

My family is the reason why I would like to raise money for Heartbeat House.

I have been admitted to Southampton General Hospital on numerous occasions for operations and procedures. Due to the distance between the hospital and my family, members of my family have stayed at Heartbeat House whilst I've been undergoing surgery and recovering.

For me, knowing my family is close by is a source of comfort that got me through a lot. For my family, being walking distance from the hospital made leaving me on the ward easier, as well as removing the stress of driving to and from hospital. Having a kitchen on hand and being able to cook rather than spending money on hospital cafés/meals out was a relief. Everyone staying at Heartbeat had a loved one with some form of cardiac problem, whilst everyone's experience is different, it meant that there was a mutual level of respect and understanding. Heartbeat also offers a far more balanced time for everyone involved, by giving visitors somewhere to go and relax rather than having to stay on the ward the whole day. This meant we had better quality time together as we could all have breaks. If I was tired and needed a bit of space or if my family member needed a break from wards and hospitals, the opportunity to get away from the intensity of hospital visits was there.

"Heartbeat receives no Government or Statutory funding to run this service and so rely solely on the generosity of our supporters to keep it going." It is impossible to understate the help and comfort that Heartbeat House and those that work there have given to me and my family. I want to thank you from the bottom of my oversized and leaky heart for your support and any donation you are able and willing to give. Your donation will help to give other families going through life changing (often unexpected) events, a place to stay and be supported, whilst remaining close to their loved ones but away from the intensity of hospital.

Good luck to everyone taking part and thanks again everyone who supports this amazing cause!

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More information about Wessex Cardiac Trust: Wessex Heartbeat supports the work of the Wessex Cardiac Centre at Southampton General Hospital to provide the best care for patients with heart conditions. We provide the latest specialist equipment and major facilities for patients, relatives and staff to ensure the highest quality of care for over 20,000 patients treated annually.