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A mum has relaunched a fundraising appeal for Tunbridge Wells Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit in a bid to reach her original £30,000 target.

To date Caroline May has raised more than £20,100 after she took the emergency services number and created the Reverse 999 Appeal which urges people to donate £9.99 to the hospital’s ICU via the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust Charitable Fund.

Within five days of launching the appeal on 9 April 2020, £15,000 was raised thanks to friends and family not only donating but also sharing the appeal via their social media accounts so that it soon became a community campaign with over 500 local people making donations!

The married mum of three, who lives in Langton Green, near Tunbridge Wells, started the appeal as a way of thanking medical staff who helped save her son Arthur’s life not once but twice. She’s now urging local schools and business as well as individuals to help her reach her target.

She said: “My three year old son Arthur has a heart condition called myocarditis.

“Tunbridge Wells Hospital saved his life in May 2018 when he was struck by a viral infection of the heart and again in December 2019 when he had sepsis.

“We take it for granted that we can call 999 when we want urgent medical help, so I started the Reverse 999 Appeal so people can type those numbers in a different way and help support our local hospital. As well as it being a chance for me to give back and say ‘thank you’ to Tunbridge Wells Hospital for saving Arthur’s life I also wanted to do something to help others during the pandemic.

“I’m extremely grateful to everyone who has donated to the appeal so far, now I’m asking local schools and business as well as individuals to help me reach the £30,000 target.”

So far the funds have helped pay for six Aerogens – a device which delivers drugs directly into a patient’s lungs to help them breathe; three high spec rehabilitation chairs which allow staff to get patients out of their beds and in to an upright position, plus six dementia clocks which can be used by patients who may be disorientated due to their condition to understand what time of day it is.

Jane Sansom, Matron for ICU at Tunbridge Wells Hospital, said: “The amount of money Caroline has managed to raise for ICU at Tunbridge Wells Hospital is incredible.

“Importantly that money is already making a real difference to the care we provide patients with.

“We wish Caroline the very best of luck with reaching the £30,000 target.”

To make a donation visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tunbridgewellsicu hit the donate button, type in £9.99, leave a message of support and appreciation for the ICU team at Tunbridge Wells Hospital, then share the JustGiving link with friends, family, businesses and contacts to help raise awareness of the appeal.