Charity worker saved by machine he raised funds to buy

By sgow

ONLY weeks after helping to raise funds for an echocardiograph machine, Barry Phillips believes it saved his life.

Mr Phillips, 63, of Sunnyside, East Grinstead, is back on the road to recovery after the £38,000 ECG at Queen Victoria Hospital spotted problems with his heart.

The equipment was handed over last September and in November, he was in hospital for triple bypass surgery.

Mr Phillips, who believed he was "quite fit" although in a stressful job, was shocked to suffer a heart attack in 1996. An angiogram showed one of his arteries was 60 per cent blocked.

"I had two stents fitted, some cardiac rehabilitation and then went back to work," he said.

Wanting to give something back for the treatment and support he had received from the British Heart Foundation (BHF), he joined the local fundraising branch. He became chairman and had five years raising funds and awareness of the UK's biggest killer for the charity.

In 2001 he took on a paid job within the charity and eight years later, needed its help again.

"Towards the end of last year I found I had trouble getting fit," Mr Phillips said. "I would need to stop for a few moments and catch my breath before carrying on."

A visit to his doctor and a cardiologist at the QVH

resulted in the new ECG machine revealing coronary artery disease in three vessels.

"Eight weeks have passed and I am on rehab training," Mr Phillips said. "Life is so good now – you don't realise you have a problem when it comes on slowly. But now my walking speed and energy levels are high and life is good."

He is expected to be back at his job with the BHF at the end of this month. His work involves setting up fundraising events, managing appeals, giving talks to companies and groups about the BHF and supporting national appeals.

If anyone is interested in fundraising or volunteering, Mr Phillips can be contacted on 01342 301785.