Nurse Sarah is in the running to help sick children

Sarah Voice works as a specialist nurse in the anticoagulation team at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH).

Anticoagulation, which prevents or slows down the clotting of the blood, is used in patients who have had a condition caused by a blood clot, such as a stroke, heart attack, deep vein thrombosis or a pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the lungs).

It can also be used to treat patients with an increased risk of developing harmful blood clots, such as those with a replacement heart valve, an irregular heart rhythm, a blood clotting disorder, such as thrombophilia or an increased risk of blood clots following surgery.

The anticoagulation team at SaTH supports both adults and children with their anticoagulation dosing regimes.

Sample

For patients taking the anticoagulation medication warfarin, who can be on it for the whole of their lives, regular blood testing is needed, usually via a blood sample being taken from the arm and sent to the laboratory for processing.

With children the use of a "Coaguchek" machine can avoid the need for a blood sample out of the arm, minimising distress for the child and also providing an instant result after a finger prick test is undertaken.

While this can be done in the hospital, there are also ‘self-testing’ machines available.

Sarah, who is based at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH), said: “I decided to raise funds as there are facilities at the hospital for this to be undertaken, however this may involve disruption to school life, parents’ work, expense of travel to the hospital and general disruption to family life. Self-testing machines can be used in the home environment with appropriate training, however this isn't always possible for some families due to financial restraints.

“My initial aim was to raise enough money to buy one machine, but I am now hoping that I will be able to raise enough to buy two, which will be donated to children who need them and be able to improve the quality of life for both the child and their families.”

Hoping

To raise the money, Sarah, 38, from Welshpool, will be taking part in her first ever half marathon – the Village Bakery Half Marathon in Wrexham on February 17.

Sarah, who is originally from Wolverhampton, said: “I've started running again after several years break because of work and looking after bringing up my son and completed a ‘couch-to-5k’ running programme last summer. I now run with a running group Freedom Runners based in Welshpool and I’m hoping my first half marathon will be a memorable one!”

Sarah has set up an online donation page at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sarah-voice3