This fundraising attempt comes from two things close to me; diving and my family. So in June 2019 I will head to Norway to swim, bike and run 70.3 miles on the same day!

Anybody that knows me is aware that I am an avid diver and love diving medicine. Anything related to keeping divers safe in the water or treating unwell divers has fascinated me for a long time. In addition my dad was recently diagnosed and underwent treatment for prostate cancer. This included radiotherapy. Although he is on the road to recovery now, he certainly felt the effects of radiotherapy. Unfortunately, for some cancer survivors these effects can be long term and have a significant impact on their quality of life. 

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is one of a few limited treatments that can offer benefit for these patients suffering from radiation tissue damage. Giving patients dealing with the after effects of radiotherapy a chance to enjoy life without being burdened by symptoms.  

Who is DDRC Healthcare?

DDRC Healthcare (previously the ‘Diving Diseases Research
Centre’) is a British Hyperbaric Association medical facility and charity based in Plymouth. In addition to treating divers who have ‘the bends’ they also offer elective hyperbaric oxygen therapy, courses for healthcare professionals, fitness-to-dive advice and diving and hyperbaric research.

Why do DDRC Healthcare need fundraising and what do they do with it?

First and foremost DDRC Healthcare is a charity and much of the work done is funded by charitable donations. In that past donations have been used to better the services and facilities provided including a new chamber safe ventilator so divers and other patients with life-threatening conditions can be safely treated in the chamber.  

What do DDRC Healthcare do for the diving community?

In addition to treating 30-40 divers with DCI (‘the bends’)
each year DDRC also promote diver health in the wider diving community. An on-call team provides 24/7 hyperbaric emergency advice and assistance; co-ordinating and managing diving emergency’s throughout the UK.

The highly specialised and experienced physicians provide
Fitness-To-Dive advice and medicals for recreational divers. They also research projects into diving disease and health of divers.  

 Who else benefits?

In addition to treating divers there are a number of emergency and elective conditions that can be treated at DDRC Healthcare. These include carbon monoxide poisoning, problem wounds and radiation tissue damage.

Many of the elective patient are cancer survivors dealing with after effects of cancer treatment. Hyperbaric Oxygen can help conditions such as radiation proctitis, radiation cystis, osteoradionecrosis and radiation burns; all long term conditions resulting from cancer treatment.

DDRC also has the capability to deal with some of the sickest patients who need Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. As a Category 1 chamber intensive care patients can be transferred and treated in the chamber while maintaining the high level of care they need throughout.

More information? 

https://www.ddrc.org/ 

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