Family of Lee-on-the-Solent patient fundraises for vital medical equipment

Alan Stephenson died in December 2018 after being diagnosed with a heart condition over a decade earlier.

The 61-year-old, who was living in Lee-on-the-Solent, underwent a bypass operation in 2006 and received care from the Waterlooville Health Centre Heart Failure Team.

His family asked for donations to the Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust’s charity, brighterway and, combined with the sale of Alan’s mobility scooter, totalled £1,500.

The funds have now been directed to the Heart Failure Team at the centre in Waterlooville and the team have used the money to obtain an additional Electrocardiogram (ECG) machine.

Alan’s wife Anne, who helped raise the funds with his mother Joyce, said: ‘I have known the Heart Failure Team for around 10 years so we decided to raise money for an ECG machine as we wanted to give something back.

‘The care Alan received definitely prolonged his life. We were looked after so well by the team and nurses Trish and Lisa have been such a support to me and Alan’s family.’

The nurses are invited to the family’s annual cider and pasty themed party which takes place each June in Alan’s memory.

Specialist nurse Trish Phillips, said: ‘Alan was a patient of ours for several years and we were very close to him and his family.

‘Ten of us were struggling to manage with having only five ECG machines to share between us so this new addition will make a massive difference to the patient care we provide.’

During his life, Alan worked as an automotive engineer in Farlington before re-training and entering the finance sector, basing himself in Jersey for a number of years.

Ian Hynd, head of the charity brighterway, said: ‘Brighterway are here to help the people cared for by Southern Health lead a brighter life, above and beyond NHS funding.

‘We were delighted to receive the kind donation from the family and it has enabled us to provide the additional machine which will greatly benefit our patients.

‘Without the continued support of people like Anne and Joyce, we wouldn’t be able to continue to grant-make and provide fundraising support.’