Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

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IMPORTANT UPDATE:

Great news, everyone! I'd like to thank everyone who helped me fundraise for this project. I just got the following email from my contacts at the SADS foundation:

Dear Nicole, 

I hope you are well.  I just wanted to let you know that the donation acceptance paperwork has been sent to the  for a defibrillator to be donated to the new study center with the funds you have kindly raised.  The full address of the center is:

Yarnton Manor

Yarnton

OX5 1PY

Mr Jon Smith-Willis is delighted to receive the donation and has said that they will have a plaque made up and can schedule an unveiling with members of staff and students. He has confirmed that he is happy to be flexible as to when this is done in order to accommodate you as he appreciates that you would like to be present. We will of course liaise with you when setting a date for the presentation.

Take care Nicole and may I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all at SADS .

I am currently working with my parents and the ORA staff to find a date suitable for all of us. We decided to place the defibrillator in ORA's new study center in order for the AED to benefit students year round. An article on our fundraising efforts will also be available in the next copy of the SADS newsletter. Thanks again to everyone who helped out with this great project, and making such a fantastic program a safer place for students all over the world to enjoy.

With much love,

Nicole <3

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My name is Nicole Bencie and I am a seventeen-year-old 12th grader living in the United States. By all means, I consider myself a typical American teenager living a perfectly normal life. However, when I was less than three months old, I was diagnosed with an inherited heart condition called Long QT Syndrome (LQTS). LQTS is known to lead to palpitations, fainting, and sudden death, particularly during strenuous activities. I inherited the condition from my mother, who prior to my diagnosis, was unaware that she had the same heart problem. My younger sisters, born in 2001 and 2002, were also diagnosed with the same condition.

So naturally, my family has had to take some precautions over the years. My sisters and I take medication every morning and carry AEDs (Automatic External Defibrillators) with us at school. I am also blessed with wonderful parents who work with the school system here in the United States to ensure that all of my teachers CPR/ AED trained. 

So once again, I consider myself very lucky in many different ways. First, I know about my condition and take the precautions necessary to ensure that my environment is kept safe. Secondly, because of the precautions we have taken, nothing has ever happened and I have never experienced an episode. I also have the most amazing family in the world that supports me and ensures that my sisters and I are happy and healthy. Lastly, this condition has given me the chance to spread awareness and help others who may not be so lucky as me.

So finally, I'm getting to my point.

Last summer, I had the opportunity to attended an international summer school at Oxford University and had a fantastic time. Oxford Royale Academy (ORA) is a separate entity from the University of Oxford, but provides students from over 98 different countries with the opportunity to study a wide range of subjects at some of Oxford's most prestigious colleges. Over the course of the summer, several colleges are used to house the international students. For two weeks, I was able to experience a unique blend of cultures at Balliol College, and I made friends from countries all over the world. It was truly amazing.

 

I had originally applied for a financial aide scholarship to attend ORA, and made the shortlist out of over 600 applications. Though I did not make the final cut, I was still able to attend the program. When my paper work had been accepted, the only thing left to fill out was my medical information. My application was later turned down because of the fact that I have Long QT Syndrome. The directors and medical professionals at the program felt that they could not satisfy my needs accordingly because they were unable to provide the AEDs and trained medical staff on the college grounds. It took a great deal of effort on the part of my parents and US doctors to convince the program's coordinators and UK medical staff that it was safe for me to attend the program. 

After countless phone calls and emails, I was allowed access into the program, under the condition that we signed several wavers, understanding that no trained personnel would be available on site during the duration of my stay. This ultimately prompted my mother to accompany me to the program and stay nearby in Oxford during my stay.

 

The time I spent in Oxford was great; not only academically but socially as well. Along with studying at ORA, however, my mother and I spent a great deal of time understanding the dynamics and challenges that faced the program's directors in regards to having AED's and trained nurses/administration on site. After spreading awareness and understanding, the head program coordinator felt more comfortable with the idea of implementing a better safety program that included AEDs for immediate response incase of an SCA emergency.

 

This brings me this project. 

 

 We would like to, with the support of the SAD's foundation, obtain and donate 4-5 AED's for the ORA program. 

 

Approx. 900+ international students (per session x3) annually attend ORA and would benefit from having defibrillators on each campus incase of an Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) emergency.

 

Because many cardiac arrhythmias are so difficult to diagnose, there are millions of people around the world who may not know they suffer from a heart condition. Because of this, the SADS foundation and I would greatly appreciate it if you could donate to our cause; chances are, I was not the only one with a heart condition at ORA.

 

If you are able to make a contribution to our project, that would be a huge help and greatly appreciated. Thank you again for your time and devotion in ensuring no student gets turned away from such a fine academic program. I honestly feel that, together, we are making ORA a safer place for students all over the world. 

 

Thank you for all of your support!