Heartbroken Rugby mum honours first birthday without son by launching new website to save lives

“Missing Jamie gets harder everyday, but we are helped so much through people’s kindness”
Jamie was loved by everybody.Jamie was loved by everybody.
Jamie was loved by everybody.

Heartbroken mother Naomi Issitt has paid tribute to the people of Rugby on what would’ve been the 19th birthday of her son.

Jamie Rees suffered a cardiac arrest in the early hours of New Year's Day while out with his friends in Hillmorton.

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The popular student, "loved by everyone", later died in hospital on January 5.

Naomi (third from left) at Rugby Christmas Lights Switch-on with Rugby Distillery.Naomi (third from left) at Rugby Christmas Lights Switch-on with Rugby Distillery.
Naomi (third from left) at Rugby Christmas Lights Switch-on with Rugby Distillery.

Since then, his mother has led a successful campaign to prevent anyone else suffering her heartache.

Funds have helped buy life-saving defibrillators in Rugby as part of the OurJay Foundation.

Naomi said: “People of Rugby have truly been so kind and generous.

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"Missing him gets harder everyday, but we are helped so much through people’s kindness.”

Wristbands are now being sold for the charity.Wristbands are now being sold for the charity.
Wristbands are now being sold for the charity.

The appeal has raised £50,000 and the 22nd accessible defibrillator has just been installed.

"We have recently installed a further two defibrillators and have ten more waiting to go up,” Naomi added.

"We have also started giving out portable defibrillators to some companies including Share Haulage, Rugby Distillery, Top Marks Electrical and Lawford Utd Football Club. These will all be emergency ready just like the public accessible defibs.”

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The OurJay Foundation website went live on Friday – what would’ve been Jamie’s 19th birthday.

Jamie had signed the organ donor register three times since he was 16 and saved five lives on the night he died.

This included an eight month old baby girl with a part liver transplant.

“We feel like Jamie’s legacy is continuing through the changes he’s making,” added Naomi.

"We are so unbelievably proud of him.”

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OurJay Foundation aims to raise awareness of the importance of having 24/7 publicly accessible automated external defibrillators.

"We also aim to raise funds to purchase and install accessible defibrillators across Rugby, Warwickshire and further afield,” added Naomi.

“We are working closely with local government organisations, community groups and business organisations to get these vital accessible defibrillators into as many publicly accessible sites as possible.”

She said cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anywhere, any time at any age. With a defibrillator available within eight minutes, it can increase the chance of a person’s survival by up to 70%

Naomi added: “We keep going for our boy.”

For more information visit https://www.ourjay.org.uk/ To donate to the appeal, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ourjay

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