Mayflex donates to support Heart in a Box at QEHB
Mayflex, a company which specialises in the distribution of infrastructure, networking and electronic security products, has donated an incredible £1,457 to support the pioneering Heart in a Box project at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.
The Charity Committee at Mayflex were inspired to raise money to support Heart in a Box following the treatment that their colleague, Mark Atherton, has received at the hospital. Pictured above are some of the charity committee: Sarah Trout, Joshua Wellings, Lisa O’Connell, Sandra Pearce, Maxine Bartram and Tracy Hillifer.
Heart in a Box is a pioneering piece of equipment, brought to the hospital thanks to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity and Heart Research UK, which keeps a donated heart beating outside of the body.
This allows surgeons more time to carry out the transplant operation, and it is estimated that this machine could increase the number of heart transplants that take place at QEHB by up to 50%.
The Mayflex team organised a barbeque in the summer for its 300 staff, and Caroline Westhall organised the company’s golf day which saw customers and staff enjoy a day of golfing which raised £1,000.
The team’s inspiration came from their colleague Mark Atherton, who received surgery three years ago, following a diagnosis with heart failure, to fit a device called an LVAD which has kept his heart beating ever since.
Mark has been on the transplant list since his LVAD operation, and still works at Mayflex on reduced hours. He said: “The team at Mayflex have been incredibly supportive of me since my operation, I’m so grateful for the support I have received from my colleagues.
Mark, pictured at work at Mayflex.
“I was really touched that they wanted to support the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity and their work with the Heart in a Box machine.”
Cathryn Worth, Fundraising Manager at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity, said: “Our thanks go to the team at Mayflex for all of their hard work to raise funds for the Heart in a Box campaign at the hospital.
“The money that they have raised will help us to continue funding the amazing Heart in a Box machine which has the potential to allow more life-saving heart transplants to take place at the hospital.
“It is wonderful that the team were inspired by Mark’s treatment, and it is great that Mark has been able to carry on doing the job that he loves.”