Bathuniversitystudents Raise Over 2000 for Local Hospital

April 4th 2011

Press Release

BATHUNIVERSITYSTUDENTS RAISE OVER £2000 FOR LOCAL HOSPITAL

Half marathon runners from BathUniversity have raised over £2000 for Bath’s RoyalNationalHospital for Rheumatic Diseases NHS Foundation Trust, locally known as ‘The Min’.

Inspired by the high standards of care provided when his mother spent five months in the Min’s high dependency unit, 2nd year mathematics student Steven Wilkins decided to do the run to raise money for, and awareness of, the hospital.

He said: “Three years ago, my mother had an acoustic nueroma (a tumour situated where the acoustic nerve connects to the brain) removed and needed months of intensive physiotherapy to be able to walk, talk and write again. The Min offered her an unrivalled level of care and without their dedication she would not have been able to recover to the level that she did.

“This year I decided to raise money for the hospital that has helped our family in such an unforgettable way. It’s an amazing cause.”

Steven, a keen member of the University’s Hockey Club, was delighted when seven other members of the hockey team decided to train and run the half marathon with him. Two weeks before the event they had already raised £1000 and the night before the race the totalexceeded £2000.

Steven said: “The pride felt by the entire team at completing the race and achieving such an amazing fundraising total is topped only by the pride I felt when I visited my mother after the race and saw her face fill with admiration. It made every mile worth it.”

The university students were part of a 27 strong team of runners taking part on behalf of the hospital. It was the first time the hospital had entered a team and it is expected that over £9000 has been raised overall.

Peter Franklyn, Chairman of the RNHRD said: “We are hugely grateful for the tremendous effort made by all those who ran on behalf of the hospital. It is so very encouraging to all of us at the ‘Min’ to be supported in this way and every penny raised will benefit our patients.”

ENDS

Press contact: Emma Mooney, Marketing & Communications Manager RNHRD

01225 465941 ext 211

Notes for Editors:

• The RNHRD NHS FT is a national specialist rehabilitation and rheumatology hospital based in Bath. Offering services to adults, children and young people the Trust has expertise in general and complex:
• Rheumatological and musculoskeletal conditions
• Neurological rehabilitation
• Chronic pain management
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ME