Participants in this year’s Great North Run are set to raise thousands of pounds for a team of volunteer doctors which carry out life-saving work in Cumbria.
Beep Doctors (BASICS Cumbria), a charity that provides pre-hospital emergency medical care and is celebrating its 30th anniversary, has expressed its gratitude to the runners for their support.
Among the runners was paramedic Heather Beedie, from Skelton, who has first-hand experience of the Beep Doctors.
Heather, 42, said: "I have requested the services of Beep Doctors multiple times while working as a paramedic in Eden and they are just heroes in my eyes.
"The doctors respond in their spare time, voluntarily, bringing valuable skills to the roadside and working with the ambulance service to help save lives.
"I have lost count of the number of times doctors have responded during the night, in terrible weather or even when in the middle of shopping in B&Q.
"They literally drop everything when you need them."
Heather, who has been living in Skelton for 12 years, is a paramedic with the North West Ambulance Service.
She began running in February this year and found it challenging to fit training runs around her shifts as a paramedic.
She said: "The Great North Run was absolutely amazing, probably one of the best experiences of my life.
"It is the longest distance I have ever run.
"There were 60,000 people taking part and the people of Newcastle were all out supporting and cheering us on.
"Plenty of my colleagues have donated as we rely on the Beep Doctors and are proud to work with this life-saving charity."
Despite the rainy conditions, Heather was motivated to keep going to raise money for the Beep Doctors.
She said: "I set myself a target of £500 but I am now at more than £1,000.
"People can donate by going on to the Just Giving website and searching for Heather Beedie.
"Every penny helps save lives."
Other participants who completed the Great North Run in aid of Beep Doctors Cumbria included Emma Kirkwood, 34, a stock control manager from Kendal, who hopes to raise £360; police officer Nigel Harling, 55, from Penrith, who hopes to raise £600; and Helen Tinnion, 65, a retired headteacher from Cockermouth who hopes to raise £1,000.
Jo Blackburn, operations manager of Beep Doctors Cumbria, said: "We would like to express our sincere thanks to all the runners who participated in the Great North Run in support of Beep Doctors.
"Their remarkable efforts are greatly appreciated and will have a huge impact on our ability to continue providing life-saving care.
"The funds raised will enable us to purchase essential drugs and medical equipment, ensuring our volunteer doctors can keep responding to emergencies and saving lives in our communities.
"This support means everything to us and we are deeply grateful for their contribution to our mission."
Cumbria’s Beep Doctors, who are all volunteers, provide enhanced pre-hospital emergency medical care.
They work closely with the police and fire services, North West Ambulance Service, Great North Air Ambulance Service, and North West Air Ambulance.
At incidents, Beep Doctors can carry out some surgical procedures, such as inserting chest drains, and some can perform pre-hospital anaesthetics.
All are able to administer drugs that most road crew paramedics cannot, such as ketamine and fentanyl, to provide pain relief and allow fracture manipulation.
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