A SENIOR theatre practitioner has thanked the British Red Cross for helping get her home from hospital more quickly after she broke both ankles in a fall.

Dawn King, 46, of Upper Stratton, was visited by a volunteer from the Red Cross home from hospital service, who provided practical support with shopping, prescription collection and other tasks until she was able to regain her independence.

Usually more used to treating patients at the Great Western Hospital, Dawn found herself there as a patient after slipping and breaking both ankles at Coate Water Country Park, in March.

The accident was all the more tough on Dawn as it was just five months since she had lost her partner, who died in October last year of lung disease.

Dawn was desperate to go home but, because she now lived alone, faced a two-week hospital stay while arrangements were made for her ongoing care.

She said: “The accident was completely out of the blue. It had only been five months before that I lost my partner. I’d only recently gone back to work so it was a bit of a disaster.

“I went to the hospital and, after X-rays, found out I’d broken both ankles.

“I had surgery the following day and knew everyone in the operating theatre. It was a bit odd but my colleagues looked after me very well.

“It was during my second week in hospital that a social worker told me about the Red Cross Home From Hospital Service.

“I was desperate to get home, still in a lot of pain and still quite immobile.”

Ann Mortimor, who co-ordinates the service arranged for Fran Govier, 66, to visit Dawn at home.

“The thing that really helped was knowing there was someone coming in every week to do shopping and collect my prescriptions,” said Dawn.

“That’s what got me through those first few weeks at home.

“Losing my independence was a huge, huge deal for me and the volunteer was lovely.”

Fran has been a Red Cross volunteer since August 2010. She works as an accounts payable assistant and volunteers on her day off. She said: “Volunteering is varied and sometimes quite sad. But I’ve met some nice people and it’s nice to be able to do something to help.”

For more information about the Red Cross home from hospital service, call Ann Mortimor on 01793 646376.