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Nurse turned farmer donates cow to Cumbrian hospital

Former cardiology nurse has novel idea to raise funds for heart patients

A former cardiology nurse turned farmer has donated a cow to a Carlisle hospital.

From left to right: Kerry Scott, deputy ward manager, Caroline Shaw, ward manager, Louise Farmer, specialist radiographer and Kirkandrews Ponder Cactus Four, the cow

Moira Fisher of Smalmstown Farm in Longtown, Cumbria, and husband Robin donated Kirkandrews Ponder Cactus 4 to the Cumberland Infirmary. The Holstein Friesian dairy cow will be sold at auction on Friday, and the money raised will go to the heart centre at the Cumbrian hospital.

Ms Fisher worked for the hospital, part of the North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust, for five years from 1987, training as a cardiology nurse.

The funds from the sale at farmstock auctioneers Borderway Mart, Carlisle, will go towards a Rotablator kit. Rotablation is performed during an angioplasty procedure when the plaque that has built up in an artery is too hard or narrow. A special catheter is inserted with a small drill on the tip to chip away at the plaque. Purchasing a kit will mean patients no longer have to be transferred to Newcastle for the procedure.

Ward manager at the heart centre, Caroline Shaw, who previously worked with Ms Fisher, said: 'As grateful as we are for all donations received, this is one of the most exciting donations we have had as we were able to spend some time at the farm. We are all animal lovers, so it was really good to see the herd and our cow all nicely groomed ready for sale.

'We look forward to the auction and are extremely grateful for such a generous donation.'