The Rotary Heartworks Project

Heatworks - The Story of a Rotary Project

In the summer of 2015,the Rotary Club of Wrington Vale were proud to announce that - in conjunction with Rotary Clubs throughout District 1200 and with the very generous support of The Friends of Musgrove Park Hospital and an anonymous Trust Fund - we had fully met our fundraising target of £60,000 to provide a Heartworks Simulator to be used to train clinical staff from hospitals throughout the South West.

The Heartworks equipment had been official presentated to Musgrove Hospital on 25th June 2015

This is the story of that successful project

A chance meeting, determination and resourcefulness have led to the successful completion of the Rotary Club of Wrington Vale’s biggest ever single project. In the summer of 2014 Rotarian Peter Roswell met Doctor David McIver at a garden party. They had something in common in that Peter has a history of heart problems having had a heart bypass some 30 years ago and Doctor MacIver is a leading consultant cardiologist based at Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton.

Their conversation led to Peter discovering that Dr MacIver is responsible for training cardiologists in the South West of England and that he was very keen to acquire some simulator equipment to improve the teaching facilities available to him and his colleagues. Developed and manufactured by London based IML, that equipment, known as Heartworks, trains cardiac clinician in the interpretation of the ultrasound heart scans known as Echocardiograms (EKGs). The equipment comprises a torso manikin (looking like the dummies used to train people in CPR techniques) which is connected to a computer.

There are also two probes. One scans the heart through the chest wall. The other is passed down through the oesophagus which can look at the heart from the back. Trainees practice using the probes to generate the black and white EKG scans. At the same time these are also projected as views of the heart in graphic detail as it would appear in real life. There are over 40 different heart conditions programmed into the equipment. Using such equipment would give a trainee or researcher a concentration of experience that would not be possible when learning on real life patients which is the usual way of gaining knowledge of techniques and knowledge.

Acquisition of the simulator would enable them to train cardiologists and others faster, in greater numbers and in more depth and ultimately more patients will receive lifesaving treatment.

Whilst the importance of the equipment was apparent it was not possible to obtain this through NHS budgets. There were 37 systems in various parts of the NHS but none had been directly acquired by the NHS. All had been purchased using charitable funds but, as we were to discover, none had involved Rotary.

Inspired by what he had heard Peter came back to the club and shared his thoughts with a small number of members. From that a plan was hatched to raise the money within Rotary. Clearly the £60,000 price tag was too much for one club to raise on its own within a reasonable period of time especially as IML had agreed to hold the price for a while. Given that the training would benefit the whole of District 1200 and indeed the adjoining districts the original concept was to encourage all affected clubs to contribute to the required fund.

District was approached and permission and support sought to visit all clubs to sell the project. It was hoped that sufficient support would be found within the District to make a large contribution to the target. At the same time Wrington Vale was working on fund raising plans of their own to make a substantial donation to the cause feeling that they must lead by example.

A visiting plan was drawn up. Armed with a PowerPoint presentation teams of 2 were dispatched to District 1200 clubs. It was quickly discovered that timing is everything. The visiting plan started in August 2014 which, whilst early in the Rotary year, was after clubs have normally made their plans for the year. Whilst encouraging messages were received it was to be some time before the commitment to provide funds started to come in.

Wrington Vale members, keen to show commitment, had already made personal contributions to kick start the fund raising. The first contributions from clubs were received in November. At the same time we were approaching local companies and had a list of Trusts that we understood would be sympathetic to medical projects.

Wrington Vale Rotary Club also held a Musical Evening which raised nearly £2500. We also undertook bucket collections at Wye Vale Nursery. We had always known that the target was going to be difficult but felt that with continued encouragement we would achieve the objective even if it meant going into a second year.

There were the neighbouring districts which we had conversations with, the ongoing approaches to District 1200 clubs and local businesses.

Then a stroke of good Rotary fortune. Peter undertook a Heartworks presentation to Taunton Rotary Club and met with Peter Renshaw who is not only a Rotarian but as Chair of The Friends of Musgrove Park Hospital who raise funds for hospital. He felt that it might be possible for them to contribute a substantial sum to the project. Any application for funds required to be presented by medical staff.

Following the initial presentation, a final decision was deferred pending further information. We were not too down hearted at this since we were advised that several of the projects competing for funds had been declined without the opportunity to present again. We had an ally in Dr David Grant, Associate Dean Simulation of Health Education South West which is responsible for Post Graduate Medical Education in the South West. He had already committed to fund ongoing maintenance and future upgrades.

Following the further presentation we were delighted when we heard that The Friends had agreed generous and substantial support for our project to acquire the Heartworks equipment to be based at Musgrove Park and used for training across the South West. Suddenly, with the funds we had already collected, we were over two thirds of the way there and the Rotary target had been considerably reduced.

We were just contemplating an application for a Global Grant to get us to the goal when a second huge bit of good fortune came our way. Peter Roswell was talking to Trusts. One of them agreed to an anonymous five figure donation. Therefore we had virtually achieved the target and were just waiting for the final promised funds to arrive.

We acknowledge the support of all donors, many of them individuals, members of Rotary Clubs and their families and local businesses both directly and indirectly and, of course the exceptional contributions by The Friends of Musgrove Park Hospital and the anonymous trust.

Special mention must also be made of the following Rotary Clubs several of whom put on special fundraising events: Brue Valley, Chelwood Bridge, Weston super Mare, Bathavon, Melcombe Regis, Wells, Ilminster, Bath, Midsomer Norton & Radstock, Langport & Somerton, Taunton Vale, Minehead & Quantocks, Mendip, Bridport, Wellington, Bridgwater, Crewkerne and, of course, Wrington Vale.

Our “heartfelt” thanks go to everyone for their support and their faith that we would achieve our goal. It may have been achieved differently than planned and anticipated but, in reality, it was Rotarians operating in the best tradition of using skills, knowledge and professional contacts for the benefit of others. On a personal note, Peter Roswell wishes to thank all those concerned for supporting his original idea.

Without the initial backing from his own club, the hard work and innovation by clubs and individuals his dream of raising this money would not have been possible. It has been a unique experience and challenge for Wrington Vale Rotary Club. Peter has fulfilled a wish to thank the NHS for the life-saving treatment he has received over the years in a way that means many more people can benefit from the excellent treatments on offer.

Footnote: We are also delighted to report that David MacIver, following many years as a leading cardiologist, has been appointed a Professor.