Charities
To save and improve the lives of all those in need or receipt of organ and tissue transplants. The charity exists to improve education and awareness of organ donation and to fund projects that increase the numbers of successful transplants in the UK.
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The Cystic Fibrosis Trust is the UK's only national charity dealing with all aspects of Cystic Fibrosis. It funds research to treat the symptoms of CF and to find an effective treatment. It also aims to ensure appropriate healthcare for those with Cystic Fibrosis and provides information, advice and support to people with CF and their families across the UK. Cystic Fibrosis is one of the most common, life-threatening diseases in the UK. It affects over 9,000 people and 1 in 25 of us carries the faulty gene that causes Cystic Fibrosis. If two carriers start a family, each child has a 1 in 4 chance of having Cystic Fibrosis. Cystic Fibrosis affects the internal organs, especially the lungs and digestive system, by clogging them with thick, sticky mucus making it hard to breathe and to digest food. People with Cystic Fibrosis have to endure a rigorous daily treatment regime including physiotherapy to clear the chest, inhaled and injected drugs to thin the mucus and fight infections and dozens of enzyme pills to help digest food. Each week, five babies are born with CF and sadly, each week three young lives are lost. Only half of those with Cystic Fibrosis are likely to live past their late 30s, but a baby born today can expect to live longer. We seek to continually improve standards of care for people with CF; we commission cutting-edge clinical and scientific research; and provide practical and accurate information to people with CF and their families. None of this would be possible without the support of the CF community and the generosity of the public.
Every year thousands of lives are saved by the highly skilled and dedicated teams of professionals at Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, who provide specialist care for patients of all ages. The hospitals attract experts from all over the world, striving to push through the boundaries of research, innovation and treatment of patients with heart and lung disease. Money raised through your sponsorship will directly support our clinical teams, enabling their pioneering work to continue and make a difference to the lives of patients now and in the future.
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Kirstie's Big Breath Bike Ride
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Kirstie was born with Cystic Fibrosis, progressive lung disease. She had been in and out of hospital all her life with frequent chest infections but it was as she reached her late teens that she started to experience a rapid decline in lung function and mobility. Up until then, Kirstie had managed to complete school, study performing arts and arts management, qualify as a fitness pole dancing instructor and run a successful business.
In March of 2011 Kirstie attended Harefield hospital for transplant assessment. Her lung function at the time was just on the cusp of transplant criteria; thankfully the decision was made to put her on the active waiting list for new lungs.
Just six days later, back in Devon, Kirstie was back in the Royal Devon and Exeter hospital due to an alarming decline. She didn't leave the hospital for 4 weeks and on returning home, required carers to perform the simplest of tasks that she was to breathless to do now, such as run a bath, cook food and other general day to day things to get by.
In May Kirstie was struggling even more, and finding the four metres from her bed to the bathroom difficult. She was admitted back into Hospital to start using a non-invasive ventilator called a bi-pap over night and to give her exhausted lungs a rest when required. Kirstie’s CF consultant told her then that if she continued at this rate of decline, she had just six months to live. It turned out six months would be an optimistic prediction. Kirstie was devastated; she was getting married and was terrified it would not mark the start of their lives together, but instead be a goodbye.
Three days before Kirstie’s wedding she was rushed into resus, unable to breathe. She was stabilised but it was apparent that time was running out. Kirstie went from the High Dependency Unit to her wedding with her nurses, physio and doctor all ready to intervene if anything went wrong. Kirstie’s husband-to-be Stuart had a Do Not Resuscitate order in his pocket, knowing if Kirstie did not want to be put on a ventilator if she collapsed, as a transplant would then no longer be an option. Happily, Kirstie made it through the day with the support of her loved ones.
Two weeks after her wedding Kirstie was rushed back in and given a choice; to stay at Exeter and be made comfortable or to be airlifted to Harefield and receive invasive treatment to keep her alive for as long as possible. Kirstie was airlifted to Harefield and placed on a machine called ECMO which removes the blood from the body, extracts the carbon dioxide, oxygenates it, and pumps it back round, essentially doing the job of her heart and lungs. Kirstie spent a week and a half on ECMO until, when she was literally on death’s door, a donor was found.
Since her transplant, Kirstie has fought her way back to health. Her muscles had wasted as she had been so ill, but she’s now back teaching Fitness pole dancing, attending the gym six days a week and six fitness classes a week.
This Event Is a massive celebration Of the gift of life Kirstie recieved. Thanking all the people who helped get her to where she is today by raising money for these Charity's and also to help others in Kirstie's position to recieved the same standard of care and help.
Recent donors
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Emily & David Icke £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 11.05.12 Kirstie, You are an inspiration to many and you have battled so bravely to get to where you are today. Your courage and determination is admirable and we wish you all the best for the latest challenge in your life. With love Emily & David Icke xx |
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Gemma Gleave £5.00 (+ £1.25 giftaid) 09.05.12 good luck! I know you will be able to do it with all your hard training!! X |
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Amy £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 31.03.12 Good luck! You'll nail it! |
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Dawn Cutler £5.00 (+ £1.25 giftaid) 20.03.12 Sorry it's not more huni! You're such a star :) |
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Eilidh Macleod £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 19.03.12 All the best. |
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Frances £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 19.03.12 Good luck Kirstie! |
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Sharee McPhail £5.00 (+ £1.25 giftaid) 17.03.12 Go Kirstie!! I'm sure you'll reach your target & totally smash the bike ride :-D Well done you! xxx |
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heidi curwen £10.00 17.03.12 |
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Melanie Styles £100.00 16.03.12 Good luck Kirstie! We are rooting for you and sending hugs from Canada. |
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Kate Murphy £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 15.03.12 Good Luck Kirstie I Know You'll Rock It |
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Debra Castell £50.00 (+ £12.50 giftaid) 14.03.12 Greetings from across the pond; from one CF cyclist to another, wishing you the best of luck! :) Way to go!! |
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Annette Schleicher £5.00 12.03.12 Have been following your story for quite a while and I am glad everything worked so well for you! Hugs from Germany! |
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Lzy £1.00 (+ £0.25 giftaid) 12.03.12 I wish I could give more but im so skint :( |
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Luke Huntington £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 05.03.12 I just saw the documentary "Breathless Bride" and was inspired by Kirstie and her family's courageous fight against cystic fibrosis. They won! How awesome is that. I wish them the very best in their new life. |
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Dena Walker £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 05.03.12 Good luck on the bike ride! you can do it! |
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deniz £5.00 04.03.12 wish you luck from munich/germany |
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Andy Gabb £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 03.03.12 |
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Alexandra Madeline Barber £3.00 (+ £0.75 giftaid) 03.03.12 Kirstie- you are my hero. You're so lovely- thankyou for being a wonderful friend and for your encouragement- it really means the world!! You are doing GREAT things! |
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James Stephenson £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 03.03.12 Hi Kirstie. Good Luck with the Bike Ride. Will u add me on fb now :-( James Stephenson fellow cf sufferer |
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Joshua & Natalie Suen £20.00 01.03.12 Kirstie, You are truly an inspiration to others. I know someone close with CF too. Hope things are going well for you. |
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Deborah Cogan £5.00 (+ £1.25 giftaid) 24.02.12 Kirstie, My little boy Elliott has CF too delta508 double gene and you inspire us and your story helped prepared us for what things may get like in the future. For this I thank you. Good luck lots of love The Cogans - Bristol |
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philly walker £2.00 (+ £0.50 giftaid) 24.02.12 good luck kirstie |
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Sarah Hawkins-Houghton £10.00 23.02.12 Hi Kirsty good luck with everything. I follow your blogs & also follow you on Facebook. You are an inspiration to everyone. Wishing you all the luck in the world. Love Sarah xx |
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Jo £2.00 (+ £0.50 giftaid) 19.02.12 Getting your "a little from every group member" plan into action! xxx |
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Sian Bennett £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 18.02.12 Good luck, Kirstie |
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Anonymous £20.00 17.02.12 |
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vicki £100.00 14.02.12 From the bikini lady lol ;) |
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Anonymous £15.00 14.02.12 Good Luck and I hope I do aswell as you after I've had my transplant. |
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Fiona £5.00 13.02.12 It has been a pleasure to read your blog over the last few months and to see you enjoying your life after being so seriously ill. This a small thank you for sharing your story with people, in honour of your donour |
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Georgie Williams £10.00 13.02.12 Good Luck x |
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Gerard Falsey £10.00 12.02.12 Good luck, what an achievement |
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Anonymous £5.00 (+ £1.25 giftaid) 12.02.12 Good luck to all taking part |
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Helene Du Plessis £5.00 (+ £1.25 giftaid) 12.02.12 You are such an inspiration Kirstie. God bless you!! xx |
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Jacqueline Cable £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 12.02.12 Good luck Alice! |
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Julianne Johnson £100.00 (+ £25.00 giftaid) 10.02.12 You go girl :) x |
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Lucy Smith £5.00 (+ £1.25 giftaid) 10.02.12 Good luck! |
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Paul Howland (Sarah Box's friend) £5.00 (+ £1.25 giftaid) 09.02.12 Good Luck Kirstie. Paul Howland (Sarah Box's friend) |
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Caroline Lambton £5.00 (+ £1.25 giftaid) 09.02.12 Good luck Kirstie!! xx |
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Amanda Chalmers £100.00 09.02.12 xx |
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Jeremy Harris £44.11 (+ £11.03 giftaid) 09.02.12 Don't get a sore ****! Well done and can I take some pics of the ride for you? |
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Susan Alexander £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 09.02.12 From one transplant recipient to another! Well done and good luck! |
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annette atherton £5.00 (+ £1.25 giftaid) 09.02.12 gud luck |
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Ruth & Chris Dockerty £25.00 (+ £6.25 giftaid) 09.02.12 Have followed your story closely, your determination is amazing, all the very best of luck with your cycling |
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Jo Clements £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 09.02.12 Godd luck ... you are a true inspiration to all the CF family xx |
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Imogen Sullivan-Bell £10.00 09.02.12 Best of luck Kirstie! Hope you reach your target with donations too! |
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David Thorne £10.00 09.02.12 Good luck Kirstie :-) |
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Claire E Smith £5.00 (+ £1.25 giftaid) 09.02.12 well done Kirsty :-) |
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Joey Pharaoh £15.00 (+ £3.75 giftaid) 09.02.12 Kirstie my lovely, so proud of you for doing this! I hope this helps. Good luck, I know you will be fantastic, like everything else you have put your mind too. |
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Blu-Tac Bandit £20.00 03.02.12 Good Luck :) |
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Jack Harris £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 02.02.12 Good luck Kirstie! Your doing us all proud!! |
Running total
- Target:
- £10,000.00
- Total raised incl. Gift Aid:
- £1,338.89
- Total donors:
- 64
- Biggest donor:
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Amanda Chalmers
£100.00 - Last donor:
- Emily & David Icke 11.05.12
- Offline fundraising:
- £80.00
