Doctors on the run raise nearly £2,500 for charity
A group of medics went on the run to raise almost £2,500 for equipment to help vulnerable children in their department at Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital.
Eight members of staff from A21 paediatric assessment unit at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust joined more than 13,000 people in the Great Birmingham Run 2022, with seven running the 10k race and one completing the half marathon.
Ambra Righetti, trainee paediatric advanced nurse practitioner, had the idea to use the race as a fundraising event and a total of £2,434 has been raised.
The money will contribute towards buying an ultrasound (USS) machine for the ward to help cannulate children, in particular those who visit often.
The 29-year-old said: “The day was brilliant and the atmosphere was great. There were professional runners and a lot of people running for charities, like us. The race was tough but seeing people running next to you kept everyone going.
“Everyone did their best and was such an achievement just being there and finishing the race. A big thank you to all the running gang members, it was such a lovely day full of fun, laughs and good exercise.
“We also had a flamingo (colleague Dr Ash Holt) joining us for the race – you had to see the faces of the little children, it was ace!
“We did not have a target but the generosity of people allowed us to raise nearly £2,500, which was more than expected.”
Rachel Robinson, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust’s digital engagement fundraising officer, said: “Thanks to all the runners from A21 for their magnificent efforts – and for raising a fantastic amount of money.”
Dr Julie Brent, consultant paediatrician, completed the half marathon and despite it being her first attempt at the distance for 10 years, she achieved a personal best time of two hours and 14 minutes.
Dr Brent, who is from Birmingham and has worked on A21 for eight years, said: “I run every week, 8.5 miles but slowly, so decided I would do the half marathon instead as more of a challenge.”
At 53, mother of three Dr Karen Davies, consultant in general paediatrics and paediatric rheumatology, has been running for two decades and was the most senior of the group who ran the race.
Running her first race was Dr Katie Shelley, who works as a paediatric registrar.
The 36-year-old mother of two has worked on A21 since September 2020, but also previously in 2014.
Also running the 10k were paediatric consultants Dr Minoth Kanagaratnam, Dr Holt and Dr Kiran Sastry and paediatric registrar Dr Katie Crombie.
Starting and finishing in the city centre, the Great Birmingham Run 10k took runners past the Bullring, along Pershore Road to Cannon Hill Park which marks the halfway point, before looping round Edgbaston Cricket Ground and past Calthorpe Park, before a final section through Digbeth.
Anyone who would like to donate to the fund can do so at justgiving.com/fundraising/a21-childrens
