A woman is walking to raise money for life-saving defibrillators after her 26-year-old nephew suffered a cardiac arrest days before his first child was born.
Sam King collapsed from cardiac arrest in April this year at his home in Southampton. His wife Emma, who was heavily pregnant at the time, called 999 and performed chest compressions on Sam after following instructions from the call handler.
And now Sam’s aunt, Helen, is backing the London Ambulance Charity’s London Life Hike, which returns on Saturday 26 September, with routes through some of London’s most iconic sights.
Money raised will help fund lifesaving initiatives in local communities, including placing more public-access defibrillators into communities and teaching Londoners what to do when someone suffers a cardiac arrest.
Sam said:
“It’s lovely to see my auntie being inspired to raise money for London Ambulance Charity and I hope to take part next year when I’m feeling better!
“Our NHS is so incredibly important and you truly have no idea when you or a loved one may need it.”
Emma went into labour just four days after Sam’s cardiac arrest and gave birth to a healthy baby girl, Sophie.
In the days following her birth, Sam had woken up but was not responding. The first real sign of his recovery came when he met his newborn daughter for the first time.
Sam added:
“It’s incredible that the NHS not only helped bring our daughter into the world but also saved my life all in the same week.
“Without them Emma wouldn’t have a husband, Sophie wouldn’t have a dad and my family wouldn’t have a son or brother.”
Sam has since made a full recovery. He now has an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) fitted, a device that continuously monitors his heart and can detect and correct potentially life-threatening abnormal heart rhythms.
Helen said:
“We are all incredibly grateful that he has made such an amazing recovery.
“Most importantly, he gets to be a father to Sophie and a husband to Emma. Those are precious moments so seeing him enjoy family life means everything to us.
“We spent a lot of time in London during Sam’s recovery at St Thomas’ Hospital, and the experience opened our eyes to just how important these devices are in our communities.
“By supporting the London Life Hike, people can help fund more lifesaving equipment and give other families the same chance that ours was given.”
Sam’s wife Emma added:
“Without the NHS our entire family would be living through a whole different horror story. I’m so grateful for its existence.
“The health service is incredible and it’s not something that will ever be taken for granted.
“As a family this is the first of many events that we plan to take part in throughout the rest of our lives.”
Starting and finishing in Southwark Park, the annual London Life Hike event offers something for everyone:
- A family-friendly 6km route, complete with a fun children’s “Explorer Challenge” activity trail and accessible for wheelchair users
- A more ambitious 21km route, taking in spectacular views along the River Thames and landmarks including St Paul’s Cathedral, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace and Shakespeare’s Globe
The event sponsor Mazuma ensure that all the money raised from the London Life Hike will go towards improving health outcomes for our communities.
Registration is £10 for adults, £5 for children and £25 for a family ticket. Children under the age of five can join for free.
There are also opportunities to support the event as a marshal or a helper at the start or finish line. To do this, please contacts us on londamb.lascharity@nhs.net.
Join the London Life Hike on Saturday 26 September. Sign up here or turn up on the day at Southwark Park Bandstand.
