Tania Cheale, whose husband Richard suffered a cardiac arrest at home in Emmer Green, Reading in April 2023, is undertaking a gruelling 96 mile walk from Bristol to Reading along the Kennet & Avon Canal with the aim of raising £12,000 to purchase a LUCAS 3 (chest compression system) device for South Central Ambulance Charity.
On 29 April last year, the couple’s world was turned upside down when Richard suffered his cardiac arrest.
He said: “I woke up with chest pains and, believing it was indigestion, headed downstairs only to collapse on the kitchen floor. Tania immediately dialled 999, started CPR and continued giving me chest compressions until the ambulance service arrived and took over.”
The team from SCAS was able to use a defibrillator to restart Richard’s heart, though he remained unconscious and critically ill on the transfer to the Royal Berkshire Hospital. During the journey, a LUCAS device was placed on Richard so that chest compressions could continue automatically as the team sped to hospital.
Richard spent three days in the Royal Berkshire’s intensive care unit and a total of two weeks in hospital before being discharged to continue his recovery and rehabilitation at home.
Having met some of the team that saved Richard’s life in February this year, they discovered that not all ambulances are equipped with a LUCAS device and it may have to be transported to a patient separately when needed.
Richard and Tania met some of the team that responded to her 999 call in February 2024.
Tania said: “Without this device, Richard might not have survived and so we decided we wanted to do something to help the South Central Ambulance Charity purchase another LUCAS 3 machine to give more people the chance of surviving a cardiac arrest.”
On 16 October (which is also Restart a Heart Day), Tania will set out from Bristol and walk 96 miles following the Kennet & Avon Canal, finishing on Saturday, 19 October at The Cunning Man at Burghfield Bridge. Tania is aiming to arrive around 1pm and there will be a welcoming party with live music, as well as a charity raffle and CPR demonstrations, to help celebrate her amazing achievement.
The walk typically takes five days to complete, but Tania has challenged herself to complete it in three-and-a-half! Richard, who suffered a hypoxic brain injury following his cardiac arrest that affects his stamina and energy levels, is aiming to join Tania for two hours each day on the walk.
As well as raising funds for a new LUCAS 3 device, the couple are also aiming to raise awareness of the importance of learning CPR.
Tania added: “My younger sister, Miranda, passed away on 11 September last year. The cause of death was accidental suicide. Miranda was found by her partner, who didn’t know how to do CPR. The paramedics arrived within four minutes and started CPR. They worked on my sister for 40 minutes before pronouncing her dead.”
Tania has recently started sharing Miranda’s story to explain that Richard was lucky that she knew CPR, but her sister wasn’t lucky as her partner didn’t know what to do. The SCAS Charity have also arranged to carry out CPR training sessions for staff at Davidson House in Reading, where Tania works.
Vanessa Casey, chief executive at South Central Ambulance Charity, said: “This is a truly inspiring story of how learning CPR really does save lives. Tania and Richard are now championing the benefits of learning CPR so that more people can survive cardiac arrest. We are incredibly grateful for their passion and commitment to fundraising for the charity and helping to support more patients in the future.”
Tania and Richard have created a JustGiving page for online donations that can be accessed at justgiving.com/page/tania-cheale-1720548612369
The couple are also being supported by Shane Mason, who owns The Rose and Thistle in Reading who has organised a family fun day on Sunday, 13 October, which will feature a kids disco, face painting, bouncy castle, evening pub quiz and karaoke. Community first responders from the South Central Ambulance Charity will also be on hand to provide CPR demonstrations along with other emergency first aid training and advice.
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