Top award for special Jersey boy

Tuesday 27 June 2017

A 12-year-old boy from Jersey has won a special award after overcoming a serious and rare blood problem to raise more than £6,000 for the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

12-year-old Jayden Corley was one of two islanders who were successful at the British Heart Foundation ceremony, held at King’s College in Brixton, for the South East region. He was a joint winner in the Young Heart Hero category, while specialist heart failure nurse Lee Anne Penn won the 'Heart Professional Award.' The Jersey Branch was also named Fundraising Group of the Year.

Jayden was born with a congenital heart defect called Tetralogy of Fallot which means his blood does not carry enough oxygen and he had to have an operation when he was only seven days old. A year ago, the Haute Vallee student set up 'Jayden’s Challenge' to raise at least £2,000 for the local branch. He went over that initial target, raising an impressive £6,000 after taking part in a series of events, such as the Jersey Marathon 3k fun, which were particularly difficult for him as a result of his condition.

Simon Gillespie, the Chief Executive of the British Heart Foundation, said that Jayden was being recognised for his courage which he said "always leaves an impression on those who have met him."

Jayden’s mum, Mandy Corley, received a certificate to recognise the support that she gives him and the BHF Jersey branch with all her fundraising efforts. "I am so proud of him," she said before thanking local BHF chairman Haydn Taylor and fundraising manager Summer Parkin for their support.

Lee Anne Penn, a specialist heart failure nurse won the Heart Health Professional award for her "forward thinking approach, friendly demeanour and commitment" to her work and her patients. She was recognised in particular for making a specialist heart failure treatment programme to help patient recovery available in Jersey. The award was also an acknowledgment for her active support and volunteering efforts at BHF events.

Although she was delighted and surprised to win the award, Lee Anne said that it was more a recognition of the work of the cardiac team at the General Hospital as a whole. Ms Penn said that about 200 people a year die of cardiovascular disease in Jersey. She explained: "It is predicted that heart failure will become the biggest killer in years to come and the BHF is doing vital research work that will need to supported going forward."  

The Jersey branch - a charity in its own right which acts as the local body of the BHF, raising awareness and funds to support the national campaigns - also received an award for Fundraising Group of the Year which was collected by its Chairman Haydn Taylor. £165,000 were raised locally last year by the branch.

Mr Gillespie said: "The Jersey branch members all have busy full-time jobs and have to give up their own time to work for the BHF. What they may lack in time, they make up for with dedication and commitment."

Mr Taylor, whose wife Carol is the branch donations secretary, commented on the results saying: "It is fantastic and humbling that the Jersey branch has been selected as the group of the year for the whole of the south-east, which is certainly the area of the country with the biggest concentration of wealth and population."

"I also want to particularly recognise the the work of our amazing fund raising manager Summer Parkin, who could not attend the ceremony as she got married at the weekend. She has done so much to help us win this award."