FLOODS FIREMAN SUPPORTS NEUROCARE

Richard Longden (47), the fireman featured on the front cover of the book ‘Great Flood 2007’, was rushed to Sheffield’s Royal Hallamshire Hospital and was close to death after suffering a bleed on the brain.

But now Richard is back at home in Fulwood, Sheffield and is keen to raise awareness of Neurocare.

Richard said: “It all happened so quickly. I went to bed on Saturday before I went on shift on Sunday night and when I woke up I felt a strange sensation down my right hand side. I was violently sick and that’s when my wife called the doctors.

“When the symptoms didn’t subside, I took the doctor’s advice and went straight to the Royal Hallamshire Hospital. Within a matter of hours my speech became slurred, I couldn’t walk in a straight line and I had double vision.

“I went for a series of scans and that’s when I was told I had a caveronma- a type of bleed on the brain. Because of where it was, on my brain stem in the base of my head, I couldn’t speak, couldn’t swallow, couldn’t eat, couldn’t walk and was on a ventilator for a week. It was absolutely terrifying.”

A cavernoma is a disorder of the central nervous system involving the clumping of blood vessels in the brain. Many patients live their whole life without knowing they have a cavernoma. Other patients can have severe symptoms like seizures, headaches, paralysis, bleeding in the brain and even death. The nature and severity of the symptoms depend on the lesion's location in the brain.

Richard, a fireman at Rivelin Valley fire station, is recovering at home and receiving regular visits from Sheffield’s community stroke team.

Now Richard is determined to raise awareness of his condition and promote the work of Neurocare.

Richard said: “All of the staff at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital were absolutely fantastic.”

“As soon as I left hospital I was really keen to do something to help give something back to the doctors and nurses who helped me and that’s why I want to raise awareness of Neurocare.”

Richard’s wife Shirley (46) said: “It was absolutely terrifying. One day Richard was an incredibly fit man, a regular gym user and for 20 years a dedicated servant in a very active profession. The next day he couldn’t walk, couldn’t talk and couldn’t eat. It really puts things into perspective and just goes to show you can’t take anything for granted.

“The care Richard received at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital was simply first class and I am just so grateful to all the doctors and nurses who helped saved his life. Neurocare raise money for some fantastic equipment which the hospital just couldn’t afford without their help.

“Now I’m just so pleased to have Richard home.”