A COMPANY has presented £20,000 to a heart charity.

Hurley Partners has given £20,000 to The Sussex Heart Charity to fund cardiac equipment at Brighton’s Royal Sussex County Hospital.

Julie Sebastianelli and husband Steve hand over the cheque to Dr Rachael James and Mike Lewis.

The firm held a charity Golf Day and Cricket Legends Dinner which together raised more than £43,000.

Director and Brighton resident Julie said: “My husband Steve has been very ill and through the brilliant care and attention of the whole team at Brighton, from consultants and pharmacists to all the specialist nursing staff, he is here today.

“That is testament to their skill and dedication.

“On behalf of Steve, and our two daughters, I’d like to thank everyone who has been with Steve every step of the way.

“Being able to assist The Sussex Heart Charity in the purchase of new equipment that will ‘Save Lives In Sussex’, gives us all at Hurley Partners so much pleasure.

“In five years we have raised more than £170,000, the majority of which has helped fund specific projects at NHS hospitals in the South East.”

The equipment is an ECMO machine.

Mike Lewis, consultant cardiothoracic surgeon and co-chairman of The Sussex Heart Charity, said: “The ECMO machine is a modified heart-lung machine that pumps and oxygenates a patient’s blood, thus allowing the heart and lungs to rest.

“The machine drains the blood from the patient, adds the oxygen while removing carbon dioxide and then returns the blood to the artery and “pumps” the blood through the body.

The Sussex Heart Charity relies on the support of our patients and the local community.

Go to www.sussexheartcharity.org to find out more.