Beauty queen gives thanks for heart operation
CAMPAIGN TO RAISE BOTH FUNDS AND AWARENESS
BEAUTY queen has spoken of her heartfelt thanks for the lifechanging operation she was given at Glenfield Hospital.
Former Miss Hinckley Georgia Newcombe lived with regular epi- sodes of heart palpitations for more than 18 months.
The episodes would sometimes make her feel light-headed or be sick, with doctors at one point recording her heart racing at 220bpm (a normal resting rate should be 60 to 100).
In June last year, she was able to have a catheter ablation procedure, which involves passing thin, flexible tubes through the blood vessels to the heart, where they are used to pinpoint the source of an irregular heartbeat. The area of heart muscle at the affected site is then destroyed using either heat or freezing.
Georgia, from Loughborough, used to have palpitations once every few weeks but, since the operation, they have become far less frequent – and when they do come, they do not last long. “I’m so glad to be over it,” she said. “I feel more confident to be able to go out and do things. I used to go out and have to have my medication with me. I once stayed over with friends and I woke up to be sick because of the palpitations.
“I had to stop drinking. Now on the weekends, at least when the pubs reopen, I can go out with my friends again.”
She was in hospital for less than 24 hours and said that the nurses were very helpful and kept checking on her once she was out of theA atre. Now, the model is using her platform to educate children and young adults about the importance of a healthy heart.
In August, Georgia, who is Miss Diamond Leicester, will compete for the Miss Diamond UK crown and, if she wins, will represent the UK at the Regency International Pageant in Las Vegas.
In the run-up to the competition, she is running a Travel for the Ticker campaign, completing 5,127 miles of walking and exercise, the distance between her home and Vegas. Her friends will be helping her complete the miles, and she is fund-raising for the Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha Foundation, which supports local good causes, including Leicester’s hospitals.
■ For more information, visit the Georgia Newcombe - Miss Diamond UK page on Facebook.
I’m so glad to be over it. I feel more confident to be able to do things. When the pubs reopen I can go out with my friends again. Georgia Newcombe