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NARA’s NORTHERN TRIP – PART TWO.

Day 5
Today we took off to the highlands of Scotland, taking in the scenery and leaving new equipment with patients living in Dunoon and Strathpeffer, and visiting doctors surgeries in Pitlochry, Dingwall, and Loch Fine leaving equipment where necessary. A very long, hot, but very productive day. 

Day 6
Today was a very significant day in our trip, and really makes what we do all worth while. Staying a bit closer to our Glenrothes base, today we went to visit a patient with severe asthma who we have helped since 2004 with both mains and portable equipment. Living in the back of beyond not close to a hospital or doctors surgery we visited this patient each time we were in the area, but we had recently lost touch. We went to the address, but they had moved and no one knew where. We decided we would call into the surgery recorded on their notes. We do know and follow confidentiality, and we knew the doctor would not be able to tell us anything but I left my number and details with them. Fifteen minutes later I received a call for the patient who had been trying to contact us for a while but didn’t have the wherewithal to do so. They asked us if we would visit at their new address as it was not too far away. It was lovely to meet up again. After problems in the family home they had moved into the new property but were not allowed to take anything with them including their medical equipment. The new home was nearer to all amenities, including the doctors and the patient had been walking to the surgery to use the nebuliser when needed, which was quite often. After a lovely catch up we left them with two pieces of new equipment and had one very happy patient. A worthwhile job done, back in the fold. 

Day 7
Today we get to meet a very special little girl and say ‘thank you’. 

My husband has a great love of motor racing and over the years we have sometimes mixed his love with fundraising for NARA. We were at one such meet, a racing car show where another motor racing friend was telling us about her new baby granddaughter who was very poorly in hospital. We told her about the charity and told her if there was a way we could help, we would. She explained her granddaughter C was born very prematurely and suffered with apnoea attacks. The hospital did not want to release her without a monitor to check her breathing. A MR10 apnoea alarm was sent and baby C was allowed home with her family. During the course of baby using the alarm her mum told us they wanted to do some fundraising for us at NARA and two other charities who had helped baby C when she was so poorly and was going to have a dinner called ‘The Little Stars Fundraising Ball’.Mum and many of her family and friends worked so very hard to say Thank you to all parties involved with the care for her daughter, and they raised a very substantial amount at the ball which was split three ways between each organisation chosen, so many others could be assisted in the future. They must have had one fantastic evening and to say a proper ‘Thank you’ we had arranged to call at baby C’s, not only to see her, now all grown up but also mum and some of the helpers that worked so hard to raise so much money for the charities. We at NARA are so very grateful to baby’s mum and to all who helped and contributed towards the evening. A huge ‘THANK YOU’ to all concerned. 

NARA is based in Northampton and a trip to Scotland is one of our larger trips and it was really a joy to do, it is so nice to be able to put a face to a name you are always talking to but never see. We love to be able to visit our patients as this is part of our patient care programme and the biggest and most rewarding part of our job at NARA, both for us and the patient. Remember, sometimes we are the only people some of our patients see for a while, that is why it is so important for us to be able to do these visits. Unfortunately we can only do these as often as funds will allow.  This trip along with part 1 of Nara’s Northern trip https://naratbc.org.uk/blog/naras-northern-trip/ and our South west trip https://naratbc.org.uk/blog/south-west-trip/ was mainly funded by a legacy. We are always very grateful to those who donate and fundraise for us in any way. Patients needs and equipment must always come first, but we also have to be mindful of fulfilling obligations to our donors and fundraisers as some ask us to use their funds for specific purposes only, and we respect that. Gone are the days where we can deliver a piece of equipment to each patient individually, we now have so many, many patients scattered all over the country that is not always possible but when we have the opportunity and funds allow it is very rewarding to do. 

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