SUPERSTAR RICHARD BARNES – MIRACLE PATIENT WALKS FOR THE CANCER & WELLBEING CENTRE APPEAL

This is a truly inspiring story……………..
48 YEAR OLD ILFRACOMBE RESIDENT Richard Barnes woke up on Sunday 10th June 2018 and went to North Devon District Hospital with an aching left leg. But this was just the start of a nightmare scenario that none of us would want to experience.

Richard told our Senior Fundraising Officer; Julie Whitton “I am relatively active, in fact the previous weekend my wife and I had walked 17 miles from Heddons Mouth to Watersmeet along the coastal path and back again. But on arrival at hospital, having been driven by my wife, Ali she pushed me in a wheelchair to A&E, my leg was feeling worse and started to swell. This is the last thing I remember … I was unconscious for the next 2 weeks.

Luckily for me the amazing staff at A&E quickly realised the situation was serious and fast tracked me through and a number of key staff rushed to the hospital, who moments before were enjoying their Sunday off. They established that I had Necrotising Fasciitis, known as the “flesh eating disease”. This was further complicated as they then found I also had a rare form of Leukaemia. I was rushed to surgery and operated on immediately, as the leg had to be removed at the hip to prevent the disease from spreading.

Now unconscious, I was fighting for my life in ICU. My body was riddled with Sepsis and the prognosis was poor. Discussions were had between the medical teams to determine which additional limbs may have to be amputated. Thankfully for me each time the surgeon was called back to amputate he diagnosed that the issues with my limbs were not the same as my lost leg, so my right leg and arms remain.

After two weeks of constant visual by my family I started to come around. I was fed through a nasal tube and had a ventilating tube down my throat but slowly over that week I started to improve. So much so that after a week I was hoisted out of bed into a wheelchair to greet my daughter who had her Prom that day. But I then suffered another setback. That night my condition deteriorated and I had a massive brain swell and a stroke. I was induced into another comma for a week. The prognosis was so bad that my family were told there was no way back and spent the next day saying their goodbyes.

BUT by some amazing miracle I survived. I woke to my wife explaining to me that I had been asleep for a further week. With a tracheostomy in my throat I couldn’t yet speak but slowly from this point I started to improve.

Recovering from intensive care is very slow for everyone, I was told it takes a week to recover for every day spent in ICU and with ‘luck’ I would be out for Christmas 2019. I had lost all my muscle strength and couldn’t turn my head from left to right and as my strength slowly started to return I realised I had lost the use of my arm due to the stroke.

All this paints a very depressing picture but this was not a sad time, in fact I was rejoicing in being alive, the nurses of ICU even arranged for me to watch a bit of the World Cup on the tv.

As I started to recover I was moved to another ward and my physio started to increase and eventually when explaining to visiting ICU nurses that I still couldn’t move my left arm I lifted it in front of them, astonishing us all. Quickly I recovered and could be moved in a wheel chair. X rays showed that I could still not swallow anything but water for an indeterminate time.”

Incredibly, Richard left North Devon District Hospital on 13 August 2019 astonishing all the professionals.

Richard said “I had a 4 week physio plan written for me to help me get to the loo which was achieved in a day. I was walking on crutches within a week and completed my Chemotherapy treatment at the Seamoor Unit. There was one small sting in the tail as I was returned to hospital with Neutropenic Sepsis due to the Chemotherapy and Leukaemia which lasted a week.

On the date of my 20th wedding anniversary I had another X Ray on my throat which surprisingly showed everything was fine and from that point I could eat anything (cottage pie was first meal in case you are wondering).”

I am now CANCER FREE. I am able to walk on my crutches and climb the largest sand dunes I can find on Woolacombe beach. I am back at work, driving and have just received a prosthetic leg to begin to learn to walk again

I have now set myself a challenge to walk 6 miles along the Tarka Trail from Bideford to the Puffing Billy in Torrington with my family on Saturday 8th June to raise funds for the Cancer and Wellbeing Centre Appeal and ICU Department at North Devon District Hospital. The staff at North Devon District Hospital saved my life and I will never be able to thank them enough for the incredible treatment and care I had. I will always be in their debt which is why I have volunteered to be a fund raiser and in some small way give back.”

Richard’s AMPUVERSARY WALK is almost a year to the day he was admitted to hospital. He has defied all incredible odds, and it is a miracle he is able to take on this incredible challenge. To support Richard visit
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/richard-barnes27

If you have an incredible story you’d like to share with us or would like to give your support to the hospital charity Over and Above, contact the North Devon District Hospital Fundraising Team on 01271 311772 / email ndht.charity@nhs.net

Building work has begun on a brand new cancer and wellbeing centre for North Devon. Thanks to the fundraising efforts of local people and numerous grants, the £1.5million appeal to build the centre at North  Devon District Hospital has surpassed £800,000.

The centre will support cancer patients, people with long-term conditions and their families through every stage of their journey, from diagnosis, through treatment and beyond. This will be a first for North Devon, with the nearest cancer support centres currently in Exeter or Plymouth.

In 2018, Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust received around 9,000 referrals for cancer and almost 2,000 people were diagnosed with cancer, an increase of 19% since 2017. Whilst the Trust sees over 2,000 patients and their families every year, far more people are currently living with cancer in North Devon – around 6,000.

Julie Whitton, senior charity officer at Over and Above, said: “There is rising demand in northern Devon for cancer services and support for people with long-term conditions. These people need financial, emotional and practical support, as well as medical treatment, but the nearest dedicated cancer support centre is in Exeter. This is too far for many of our unwell patients and their families to travel.

“It is important we offer them support ‘on their doorstep’ in North Devon, and having this available in Barnstaple will be a significant step forward to meeting this demand. It will mean so much to so many local people. We’re really excited that the building work has started.”

The centre has been designed by Pilton-based architects David Wilson Partnership Ltd. Building plans include an open-plan lounge diner, a clinic and complementary therapy room, private counselling rooms and a meeting/activity room, which will be suitable for activities such as exercise classes.

The centre will include a drop-in facility, information on cancer and chronic illnesses, financial and benefits advice, hair loss support, bra fittings, nutritional advice, support to relatives and carers, and much more.

The centre will also provide accommodation for relatives, carers or friends who urgently need to be nearby whilst a loved one stays in hospital overnight.

David Wilson commented: “We are delighted to have been involved in developing the design for the new centre, working closely with the client and the design team to create a welcoming and peaceful facility that will be a huge benefit to our community.”

Over and Above still needs support to reach its target of £1.5million. The charity will also need to raise around £110,000 a year to sustain the running of the centre, which is planned to open in December this year.

Julie Whitton added: “We’re about halfway through the appeal now, and we really need to push to reach our target.

“This centre will make a huge difference to people with life-changing illnesses and their loved ones right from the moment it opens, and hopefully far into the future. You can be part of this by sending your donations to the charity, leaving a lasting legacy in your will or by taking part in any fundraising or sponsored events.”

Geoff Williams from North Devon Cross Country League popped in this lunch time to present a cheque for £250. Thanks to everybody in the league. This goes towards the New Cancer & Wellbeing Appeal.

DAY 1

EXCITING DAY TODAY – PEARCE CONSTRUCTION are on site preparing for our Cancer and Wellbeing Centre and relatives accommodation wing building. This is the day we have all been waiting for! We’ve already raised over £800k towards our £1.5m target but we still need your help and we would be thrilled if you could give your support to overandabove.org.uk/donate If you want to organise a fundraiser please contact us!!

What a great night we all had last night. Thanks to the staff and supporters at the Muddiford Inn we raised £125.00 at the Quiz Night. Thanks everyone that turned up to join TEAM OVER & ABOVE!!

Michelle Forrest one of our brilliant fundraising supporters presents us with a cheque for a magnificent £660. Michelle recently held a cheese & wine night at Barnstaple Football Club, and this was the result of her hard work organising the event. BIG THANKS to Michelle and all that supported the event, this will go to the Cancer & Wellbeing Centre Appeal.

Following a successful ‘Pancake Day’ event at Tesco Ilfracombe last week, the hard working ladies of The Naked Cake Tea Room in Ilfracombe (Kim & Angie) raised a marvelous £388.43.

This great donation is going to go into the pot for the New Cancer & Wellbeing Centre Appeal. BIG THANKS to The Naked Cake and all the Staff at Ilfracombe Store that got involved too.

Ilfracombe Male Voice Choir raised a WHOPPING £1,100 through various events they have held. Thanks Guys, this will go towards the Cancer & Wellbeing Centre Appeal.