FEATURE
GUERNSEY CHEST AND HEART Guernsey Chest and Heart LBG is the beneficiary of the funds raised during this year’s Guernsey Property and Construction Awards gala evening. The charity has been operating in the island since 1974, offering free health screenings to thousands of islanders from its site on the grounds of Guernsey’s Princess Elizabeth Hospital.
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Guernsey Property and Construction
Guernsey Chest and Heart is open to all islanders from Guernsey, Alderney and Sark. The charity also recently extended the age range it covers, so those aged from 25 up to 75 are encouraged to make an appointment. For manager Julie Jones, that was a natural progression for the service: “We’re always looking to improve what we offer and ensure that our service is relevant to islanders needs. People’s general health has improved so much that our previous upper age limit of 70 was no longer appropriate. We’ve now extended it up to 75 and very much encourage older islanders to pay us a visit.” Appointments can made for a full health check that involves everything from measuring blood pressure to cholesterol levels and body analysis. Clients are encouraged to visit every five years so that a full health record is kept and results can be compared. For Julie, that knowledge is power when it comes to your health: “We provide our clients with all the information we can on their health. If you collect data about yourself, then you have the opportunity to make lifestyle changes that are measurable and you are in control of that. Having the information puts you
in charge of your own wellbeing. I think we’re often fearful of the unknown, but once you have clarity it’s much easier to do something positive, or even have your mind put at rest.” The lifestyle changes that clients are often encouraged to make involve a range of alterations in areas such as diet and exercise. Julie said that people are often surprised at how simple some switches can be: “A lot of people don’t realise, for example, how many calories are contained in alcohol. We often find that following a visit here, people look to reduce their alcohol intake and that can make a big difference.” With clients’ permission, the results of the health screenings are shared with their GP, and any issues that are flagged are followed up with a doctor or specialist. The service is unable to see anyone with a pre-existing cardiac condition. The charity is funded completely by public donations, and Julie said they are very much needed: “We’re so grateful for islanders’ support, which allows this service to continue. We’re currently looking to raise money for some new body composition scales as ours need
