A musician and guitar teacher, who collapsed and almost died in the classroom, is planning a special musical fundraiser for the Air Ambulance which he credits for helping to save his life.
For Adrian Curran will stage an eight-hour ‘guitar-a-thon’ at the Buttercrane Shopping Centre in Newry to raise funds for – and awareness of – Air Ambulance NI.
The emergency medical teams airlifted Adrian to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast after he became unwell while teaching at the Southern Regional College in Banbridge in April last year.
While Adrian has no recollection of events that day, the part-time lecturer, from Warrenpoint, believes that, without the quick actions of those around him – and the subsequent arrival of the Air Ambulance – he would not be here today.
He told Armagh I: “I had a genetic heart condition, but it wasn’t considered to be particularly serious, but it turned out to be.
“I had a cardiac arrest, collapsed in the class and it’s really only the fast response from students and staff that were working in Banbridge, then the Air Ambulance was brought into the equation, that they effectively saved my life.”
Adrian was admitted to intensive care and had to have an implantable cardioverter defibrillator fitted, which monitors dangerous heart rhythms and regulates if necessary, during his three weeks spent in hospital.
Now, a year-and-a-half on, the forever grateful musician intends to put his talents to good use and show support for such a wonderful cause.
He will host the guitar-a-thon in the centre of Buttercrane on Saturday, November 21, from 9am until 5pm.
“I wanted to do something that combined my love of music and guitar, just a bit of fun around music, and raise awareness about the Air Ambulance and to raise funds for it,” added Adrian.
“We’re going to try and do some music all day. I’ve got various friends, guitar players, musicians hopefully coming along. It’s going to be very relaxed on the day, it’s not too high pressured, just a bit of fun in around guitar music.
“We’ll be trying to run it from ‘nine to five’, with various performers during the course of the day and collect some money for Air Ambulance during the course of it. That’s the real purpose of it.
“I’m trying to get as many people down as possible. I have a list of musicians who are going to come along so far, and we’ll just be trying to run it continuously throughout as best we can.
“I’ll be playing and getting up and down just at various points during the course of the day.”
Musically, the event will cover all genres – “anything and everything”, as Adrian puts it.
And the stage is also open to anyone who would like to come along and join in too.
“If anybody wants to come along on the day and just bring their guitar – there will be a few guitars there too – they can just jump up and do an impromptu. It’s very relaxed and just a bit of fun, but with the message of just of how important the Air Ambulance is.
“It requires funding to keep it operating, so it relies on charitable donations to fund it, and it proved to be vital for me.
“Some of the Air Ambulance team, they’ve been involved behind the scenes. And the Buttercrane, from their perspective, they’ve been kind enough to allow the use of the space there.”
Adrian’s own experience has also led him to encourage people to consider familiarising themselves with CPR techniques.
For had it not been for the students and staff and their knowledge of CPR, before the Air Ambulance arrived, it could have been an entirely different outcome.
“I was in a bad way, but the Air Ambulance came along and saved the day, but it was the quick action of students and staff,” said Adrian. “I suppose there is a good message there for CPR and just people being aware of how to do it and training.
“I think there’s a wonderful app, from British Heart Foundation, and you can play the videos and get some training online.
“How many people are in a situation where somebody drops down with a heart issue besides you? Would you know how to do the CPR? Would you know what to do? Would you know how to operate a defib?”
Now with his sights set firmly on doing his bit and looking ahead to the guitar-a-thon, Adrian added: “The students and staff at SRC Banbridge, the emergency responders, the Air Ambulance team and the hospital staff all played such an important part in helping me. I’ll always be grateful to everyone involved.
“The Air Ambulance helped save my life and music is something I can use to help give something back.
“This is very much a community effort. It’s lovely to see musicians giving their time to support the cause. We’d love people to call in, enjoy some music and donate whatever they can.”
Everyone is welcome to stop by Buttercrane on the day and support the musicians and the charity.
Donations can be made before, during and after the event through the dedicated JustGiving page here.
