Shirley inspired by mum to help clinic

Shirley Wakefield is fundraising for West View Health Village.

Her mum, Dorothy Martins, struggled with the illnesses COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and succumbed to it last year, aged 74.

Shirley, 56, of Marine Parade, thought there may be a COPD charity she could raise funds for, in memory of her mum.

But although there is a charity called the British Lung Foundation carrying out valuable work, it wasn’t quite what she was looking for.

So Shirley, who has two grown-up daughters and three grandsons, decided to set out on her own, raising money for individual projects on the Fylde coast.

In her latest endeavour, she is trying to raise £1,000 to buy a new spirometre for the Broadway Medical Centre in Fleetwood.

A spirometre is a small piece of equipment which is used for finding the cause for shortness of breath, assessing lung functions and the progress for disease treatment.

Shirley said: “I saw how my mother struggled with COPD and emphysema. She found it so hard to breathe and it eventually ended her life.

“As far as I know , the Broadway Medical Centre has one spirometre already but having a second one will help.They cost around £800, plus VAT, so I have set the target of £1,000.

“Last year I presented some nebulizers to Blackpool Victoria Hospital, so this is my latest effort to help.”

Nicola Wilson, practice manager of the Broadway Medical Centre, said: “We’re grateful that Shirley is trying to help us.

“Having another spirometre here would make a real difference because we could screen more COPD patients and that means we could detect the condition earlier and treat it more effectively.We already have spirometre - a second one would be brilliant.”

Shirley is trying to raise the cash through a spirit medium evening at the Grosvenor Casino in Blackpool on Thursday November 24, featuring the well known spirit medium TJ Higgs.

She has already raised £350 toward the project by holding a craft fair at the Serendipity Spiritual Centre in St Annes, earlier this year.

The November fund-raiser begins at 7.30pm and tickets cost £20 or £25 on the night.

The event will feature a giant raffle with prizes including a private reading with TJ Higgs.

For more information and to but tickets contact Gill on 01253 341222 or email her at [email protected]