Tommy in line for top award from charity

Tommy in line for top award from charity

5 April 2017

A DOWNPATRICK man is in the running for a top charity award.

Tommy McManus has been nominated in the annual Heart Hero Awards organised by the British Heart Foundation of Northern Ireland.

The awards recognise and celebrate the heart research charity’s supporters, fundraisers, volunteers and patients who have made an exceptional contribution to the fight against heart disease.

This year’s winners will be announced at a special ceremony in Belfast City Hall later this year.

In June 2014 Tommy had a heart attack and was rushed to the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle where doctors told him he might not survive another fortnight.

They fitted him with an LVAD, an artificial heart pump, and he is currently on the waiting list for a heart transplant.

He and his family have been amazing advocates for organ donation. They organised a fundraiser last October in the Eclipse Cinema in Downpatrick. Guests were treated to a drinks reception, mystery movie and live music and the night was an amazing awareness raiser for the importance of organ donation.

Jayne Murray, Head of BHF NI paid tribute Tommy and his family.

“The amazing Downpatrick nominee Tommy McManus and his family are a perfect example of the extraordinary contribution made by people living with heart disease and their families as well as the doctors, nurses and other health professionals giving them exceptional standards of care,” she said.

“We are proud to be recognising their efforts in our annual Heart Hero Awards and we wish them all the best of luck for the final ceremony.”

To vote for your Tommy visit the BHF website www.bhf.org.uk/heartheroes

Shortlisted nominees will be put on the BHF website on April 21. Winners will be announced at the Heart Hero Awards at the Supporter Day 2017 in Belfast on Thursday, June 29.