A CHILDREN’S cardiac nurse specialist from Winchester has completed her third marathon for charity.
Katy Morton, 41, completed the Barcelona marathon in 4 hours and 16 minutes on Sunday, March 10.
Joined by her friend Claire Harding, she ran to raise money for the charity Heartbeat, which supports newborns, children and adults diagnosed with congenital and cardiovascular diseases.
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Katy, who works in the children’s cardiac unit, Ocean Ward at University Hospital Southampton, said: “Fundraising for Heartbeat was a no brainer. The care the patients receive on the wards is exceptional but there’s always more that can be done. I’ve known of Heartbeat for many years and seeing the support they offer to families is amazing. That complete wrap-around care is vital.
“We’ve just hit the £500 mark, and I’m thrilled. But it’s not just about raising money, it’s also about getting people talking about heart health, and about how much it can impact not just the patient, but also their families. It’s one of the things Heartbeat does so well with its Rotary Heartbeat House.”
Rotary Heartbeat House provides accommodation to families of patients being treated at the Wessex Cardiac Unit at the University Hospital Southampton.
The 24-bedroom home is entirely funded by Heartbeat and offers respite, support, and care for the families of patients who come from the Wessex region and beyond.
Tanya Harder, community fundraising and marketing manager at Heartbeat, said: “Our core purpose as a charity is to provide a home-from-home for the relatives of patients who have cardiac procedures, along with fundraising against pioneering research and projects that come out of the Wessex Cardiac Centre at the University Hospital Southampton.
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“We are keen to continue to raise awareness of what we do to support many communities across the South of England and beyond with both reactive and preventative cardiac care, which is why we are always so grateful to our supporters.”
Katy added: “The marathon was an amazing experience. I loved running through the streets of Barcelona with my Heartbeat t-shirt on, knowing I was raising awareness and getting to shout about such an amazing charity.”
For more information about Heartbeat, visit its website heartbeat.co.uk.
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