A Suffolk man who suffered a cardiac arrest in his late 30s has joined forces with a national charity in a bid to encourage more people to volunteer for the cause.
Jonathan Jenkyn, now aged 41, suffered an unprovoked Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) whilst he was asleep at home.
It was the quick-thinking actions of his wife, Sacha, who performed CPR, which undoubtedly saved his life.
Mr Jenkyn, from Ipswich, now has an implantable cariodverter-defibrillator under his skin. The device is a type of pacemaker which monitors his heart rhythm. If he ever suffers another cardiac event the device will kick into action helping to adjust the rhythm or even restart his heart.
It is estimated that around 16,800 people across Ipswich and the surrounding area live with heart and circulatory disease, with 307 people a year dying as a result.
Jonathan is now a member of the Ipswich volunteering group and regularly organises running events to raise awareness and to keep fit and active.
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is asking more people to join Jonathan in the Ipswich community volunteer group and to set up more groups elsewhere in order to help support the charity’s work.
The community volunteer groups run a range of activities, from fundraising events to supporting schools and local businesses and organising collections.
The charity believes that joining the volunteering team is a fantastic way of supporting the charity and contributing to its important work.
Dawne Hart, BHF fundraising manager for Norfolk and Suffolk, said: “Heart disease is heartless.
“Too many lives are lost in Ipswich each year, and we’re determined to do everything we can to protect more families from this devastation.
“By starting a community volunteer group you can help us fund the research that’s so desperately needed to bring us closer to beating heart disease.
“Together we can save more lives, and it’s a fantastic way to meet new people and make a real difference in your community.”
For more information about the volunteer groups, visit www.bhf.org.uk/localfundraisingTo set up a new community volunteer group contact Dawne on hartd@bhf.org.uk or 07920088232.
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