Grateful Matt’s walk for ‘life-saving’ QA
A MAN who was left fighting for his life last year has completed a huge charity effort to give back to the hospital that saved him.
Matt Hinks, from North End, raised more than £1,900 for Queen Alexandra Hospital at Cosham on May 30 by walking the 15-mile circumference of Portsea Island.
A former critical care patient, Matt was rushed into QA Hospital last September after developing pneumonia and was placed on a ventilator fighting for his life.
Following the ‘fantastic care’ he received under QA Hospital, Matt was eager to give something back.
The 55-year-old chose to raise funds for the critical care unit at QA Hospital under the Portsmouth Hospitals Charity.
He said: ‘I was rushed by ambulance into QA Hospital with what turned out to be community acquired pneumonia. I went in on the Sunday and by Monday night I was on a ventilator fighting for my life. I lost four days.
‘The staff in critical care took excellent care of me, monitoring my symptoms and caring for my every need, including the full control of my type 1 diabetes. I was in hospital for two weeks, almost entirely in critical care.
‘During my recovery, I had time to reflect on my stay in hospital and the huge debt of gratitude I owed to the wonderful staff in the unit.
‘Without them, I wouldn’t be here today.
‘Once I was up and about, I was initially only able to walk to the nearest lamp post from our house. But as soon as I felt fit enough, I contacted the hospital and worked through a training programme with my wife, Karen, to gradually build up the distance.’
Matt, along with his wife, brother and friends, set off from the Mountbatten Centre at 8.30am and were welcomed back six hours later by cheers of support from the BH Live team.
Staff members in critical care, Dr Sara Blakeley and Caroline Cawkill, said: ‘We on critical care would like to say a big thank you to Matt for walking round the whole of Portsea Island and raising such an incredible amount of money for the unit.
‘The £1,900 that Matt raised will be used to support other patients and families through their critical care journey.’