I did a (almost) repeat of my BCIS talk at the Essex CTC (Basildon Hospital) study day. I was asked by one of the participants if I could share the slides and so I’ve published them to SlideShare.
Whilst I always feel well out of my comfort zone doing things like this I think it’s quite important that the people who help us survive get to hear what it’s like once we’re out of their immediate care. It’s a big shame that they don’t get to hear more about how we are doing in the outside world, after all it’s one of the main reasons they do their job and what can be more rewarding than seeing someone you’ve helped to survive. So, if you’re a survivor and you get an opportunity to do something like this, but you feel it’s out of your comfort zone I would say feel the fear and do it anyway!
You can see the slides I used below (unfortunately the upside down man photo didn’t export correctly and it should be up the other way!)
A big thanks go to Alex Bund of Equilibrium Creative for the the assistance with the slides
After our first meet-up in February 2015, I realised I was not alone. It was the first time since my cardiac arrest the previous year that I had spoken face-to-face with someone who had experienced what I had. This was also true for my wife, who also happened to be my lifesaver. From that meet-up, the idea of SCA UK was born. Since then, we have achieved a considerable amount, primarily providing information, resources and support to others in a similar situation but also raising the profile of survivorship and the need for better post-discharge care. We are starting to get traction in this, and with the formation of the charity, I genuinely believe we have a bright future ahead and will make a significant difference in the lives of many who join our ranks.