Select a region
Beetons chippy is bringing back its charity day, this time raising money for Guernsey Chest & Heart LBG, after the owner's sister had her life saved through the use of a defibrillator.
Tina Collenette had woken up with chest pains last September, and her daughter Hannah was driving her to see the doctor when things suddenly took a drastic turn for the worse.
She pulled in to the bus lay-by in front of the Picquet House and screamed for help as her mum went in to cardiac arrest.
Luckily a retired doctor was nearby, as well as an off-duty police officer, and a woman with medical training. They and others all helped to save Ms Collenette's life, with the use of a public access defibrillator which is stored on the public toilets block at the Albany.
Ms Collenette's sister, Kim Ashplant says their family now want to help other people by having a defibrillator installed on the Beetons chippy building at the junction of Pitronnerie Road, the Vrangue, and the Bouet.
Money raised in tomorrow's charity chippy day will pay for that with the rest of the money going to the Chest & Heart clinic directly.
Pictured (l-r): Tina Collenette and Kim Ashplant.
"She basically died. It's only the defibrillator that actually got her back and the lovely people around," said Mrs Ashplant.
"She can't remember, but my poor niece is traumatised," she added.
"(Tina) woke up in the morning with a pain, but thought it might be indigestion. She's not a fusser at all but my niece 'come on, let's just go and check it out'. They drove through town and then at the Picquet House, my sister basically died.
"(My niece) then pulled into the Picquet House lay-by and thankfully, there was an off-duty police officer walking past and there was a retired doctor sitting on the steps of the Picquet House. Everything was in the right place, and the defibrillator is just around the corner.
"People were just so good. They helped....they worked on Tina. She was so lucky. She just had everybody there, and she got sent away to Southampton, and then was there a couple of weeks and is thankfully still with us and Christmas was fabulous. We just feel very lucky."
Mrs Ashplant says her sister doesn't remember anything about her cardiac arrest, but for her niece Hannah, it was an unforgettably traumatic experience.
"She just stopped her car and screamed something, and they dragged (Tina) out of the car..., so yes, it was very traumatic."
It's thought Ms Collenette had actually had a heart attack before leaving home.
Her daughter and son and other relatives have used the Chest & Heart clinic to check out their own heart health, and Mrs Ashplant said they are hoping to raise £4,000 in total for the charity through tomorrow's fundraiser at Beetons.
"Hannah has since gone, and my girls, go be tested at the Chest & Heart, because they didn't realise in their 20s that that facility is there for them to do that, and it's all donations. So that's why we thought we'll do the two together and raise money for the defibrillator to go on the front of the shop too."
Pictured: The owners of Beetons will donate all of their takings on Saturday 11 January to Guernsey Chest & Heart LBG.
A defibrillator costs £1500 to buy and install, and Mrs Ashplant says they've already spoken to the Cardiac Action Group about having one installed.
She hopes to raise £4,000 in total tomorrow to cover that cost with the rest donated to the Chest and Heart clinic.
Previous charity days held by Beetons have been hugely popular with queues extending around the building and down the road.
Thousands of pounds have previously been donated to organisations including Les Bourgs Hospice which is also close to the hearts of the Ashplant family as relatives have been cared for there.
Beetons will be open from 16:30 tomorrow.
Pictured top: (inset) Tina Collenette and Kim Ashplant.
Public defibrillator installed outside amateur dramatics clubhouse
New defibrillator installed at Beau Sejour
Lifesaving defibrillator installed at Delancey Park
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.