When Eve Bremer and her daughter Leigh contacted Stroud Foot Clinic they were looking for something other than footcare.
The recently bereaved mother and her daughter are on a mission to promote more defibrillator installations as none were available in time or proximity when husband Wayne sadly died in September 2024 at his place of work in Thrupp.
Eve and Leigh sought the help of Kath Morrison and Geoff Boldero, Directors at Stroud Foot Clinic not only for its proximity to Wayne’s former place of work but also for its prominence.
The Clinic is situated roadside on the A419 in Thrupp and the device is now prominently displayed on the front of the Clinic building for anyone in the community to use in times of emergency. The device will be maintained by the clinic to ensure it is kept in working order.
“For all of us, the loss of loosing a loved one is totally devastating,” Eve told Stroud Times.
“Out-of-hospital cardiac arrests continue to take the lives of most people who suffer one. As a family, our aim is to provide as many life saving defibrillators as our fund raising allows. Our meeting with Geoff and Kath at the Foot Clinic was a really positive experience, they are two of the kindest people you could wish to meet. They were so receptive to our cause and, the importance of community defibrillators.
“There are now two new defibrillators on London Road, to include the one that Aquascape swimming pools have installed on their unit at Phoenix Industrial Estate. Our hope is that more businesses in Gloucestershire follow their lead.”
While Stroud Foot Clinic had always envisioned installing a defibrillator since opening in 2020, constraints had prevented this from becoming a reality. Kath and Geoff were so impressed by the resolve of Eve and Leigh to create something so positive after the tragic loss of Wayne that it was an easy decision to make. The unit has been purchased by Stroud Foot Clinic and subsidized by London Hearts: The leading Defibrillator Charity in the UK.
For clinic owner Geoff, the project holds personal significance. In 2008 near the end of a half marathon in the Forest of Dean, Geoff suffered a near fatal collapse and was only revived by the skills of a fellow runner and medic, and crucially, by a defib machine that was supplied by St John’s Ambulance for the event.
“We are so proud to support such a worthy cause, and provide the local community with a device that has proved its life changing capabilities in my life” commented Geoff and “potentially change the outcome of similar emergencies for others”
To learn more about Eve’s mission to purchase as many lifesaving defibrillators as possible, and install them in locations across Gloucestershire or to donate Please go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/wayne-bremer Please check out the British Heart Foundation website and search how to save a life. And to locate your nearest defibrillator go to www.defibfinder.uk
