Debbie McGowan
The Essential Agency - Turkey Challenge 2022
Fundraising for British Heart Foundation
Story
Hi, we are the Essential Agency, and this year we are running a Christmas campaign to raise donations for this very important cause.
The Challenge:
It is quite simple; we have convinced two of our management team to go head-to-head in what we've named the 'Turkey Challenge'! They each will have 72 hours to try to get as many votes as possible in our poll on LinkedIn.
Now they will want to put in the maximum effort here, as the one with the least votes will be crowned 'the loser' and will have to spend the day, dressed up as a CHRISTMAS TURKEY doing challenges. The person with the least votes is crowned 'the winner' and gets to film the loser doing the challenges which they'll be sure to share on our social channels!!!
To set our loser a challenge that they'll need to do whilst dressed up as a large inflatable turkey simply donate now and put your challenge into the 'Add a public message' text box. Our only ask is that the challenge is legal, humane and would incur no costs (we do not want to be paying bail money as an example haha!). We'll aim to get through as many of the challenges as possible on the day and we'll give you a name check on our social channels too.
We want to raise as much as we can for this really worthy cause and whilst we do it, we want to have a little fun too!
The Reason:
The British Heart Foundation has a very special meaning to us here. As, in February 2022, our Account Director Ceri, had to go through the unimaginable.
The day started out quite beautiful, the sun was shining. Ceri and her husband Bill would usually go on their bike rides together, but on this day, they decided that Bill would ride and Ceri and their daughter, Amber, would take a nice, long refreshing walk.
After returning from the walk with Amber, Ceri realised that Bill was yet to return from his bike ride. He really enjoyed cycling and really loved his bike - he took his fitness very seriously and liked to look after himself.
Ceri checked the ‘Life360’ family tracking app, which they all used, and noticed he had stopped along his route. Deciding that she would wait for his return, Amber suggested that Ceri take a bath and have a relaxing afternoon.
However, when Ceri got out of the bath and checked the app again, Bill was now at a local hospital. Realising the worst, but hoping for the best, both Ceri and Amber frantically tried to call his mobile.
Eventually, a paramedic answered Bill’s phone and explained that Bill had experienced a sudden cardiac arrest and was in the hospital. Which is where he stayed, in the intensive care unit for five days. Tragically, Bill passed on the 4th March 2022.
You see, it would be explained later, that Bill had a cardiac arrest whilst riding his bike and slipped into immediate unconsciousness and fell. A passer-by saw this, rushed to his aid, and held his head. Two other pedestrians then arrived on the scene and started to administer CPR and another person got a defibrillator from a nearby business. Between them they did manage to get Bill breathing and heart started again – they continued with the CPR until the paramedics arrived. An air ambulance then took Bill to the hospital, but they would later find out that his brain had been without oxygen for too long.
Ceri has raised money for the British Heart Foundation, through Bill’s memorial page and it was the chosen charity for donations at his funeral. Amber also undertook a daring sponsored 15,000 feet skydive jump in his name. They have done this fund-raising to raise awareness of the British Heart Foundation and help with its ground-breaking research in a bid to save others with heart conditions.
They also want you to know that tomorrow is never guaranteed, so don’t sweat the small stuff, live your life for today!