A DROITWICH mother is backing a British Heart Foundation appeal to raise money for life-saving equipment after she almost died during childbirth.

Sheryl Duffy’s life was saved by an Intra Aortic Balloon Pump when she suffered heart failure following the caesarean delivery of her second child at Worcestershire Royal Hospital in October 2006.

Diabetic Miss Duffy, of Archer’s Close, Droitwich, had experienced some minor health problems during her pregnancy but had no idea she had a potentially deadly heart problem until she became unwell after a routine epidural.

Miss Duffy, aged 31, said: “I knew instantly that something was very wrong, and started to panic. I could tell by the expressions on the medical staff’s faces that something wasn’t right.

“They sedated me and delivered my baby, Connor, who luckily was very healthy, but my life hung in the balance.”

Miss Duffy was fitted with the balloon pump and taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham where she spent several days on a life support machine.

Now she wants to help the British Heart Foundation raise £38,000 to fund a new pump, which pumps rhythm into the heart to increase blood flow and output, for the Worcestershire Royal.

She said: “Without the use of a Balloon Pump I would not be here today to tell my story, my children would have been left without their mummy, and my family would have been totally devastated.

“I want to help spare other families in Worcestershire the trauma of losing a loved one.”

The Worcester Balloon Appeal was launched on Wednesday and people have been urged to support it either by donating money or time.

Anyone interested in helping should contact fundraising volunteer manager, Sian Syddall, on 01905 797807.