Hi All
I am not sure if you are all aware, but in July 2016, my 24 year old daughter Zara Christmas, who had suffered from Wilsons Disease since diagnosis in December 2009, had a rapid deterioration and ultimately organ failure rendering her liver useless. Kings College Hospital liver department successfully carried out an urgent liver transplant on 15th August 2016. Although this was a terrible shock to us all, I am so thankful to the team at Kings for both the procedure and the care they have given her and will give her for the rest of her life. The doctors, nurses, co-ordinators, HCAs and other caregivers were second to none, and we could certainly not have got through it without them. Zara is now (bar the odd hiccup) doing very well and we are more grateful to Kings than we can ever say. As such we are looking to raise as much money as possible to support their ongoing incredible life changing research.
I have therefore committed to entering the London 2017 Triathlon event doing the Olympic route/distance (www.livetotri.co.uk/london-triathlon/home) that consists of 1,500 metres of open water swimming in the Thames Docklands followed by 40 km cycle ride in London and ending with 10km run in East London. Following my commitment, a number of other ‘mad’ friends and family wanted to join in and I now have a band of merry Triathletes totalling 11 (see the named participants below who I am eternally grateful for their efforts). This team of friends and family really want to give something back to aid the wonderful research, care and procedures that Kings College Hospital do every day so that others can continue to benefit from this extraordinary treatment. Combined with the sponsorship by Bennett Christmas Insurance Brokers and BC Underwriting, we are attempting to raise £5,000.
Participants: Roger Christmas, Malcolm Fisher, Matthew Fisher, Tom Stripp, Katherine Welch, Paul Welch, Katie Ward, Richard Webb, Katya Higham-Stoianova, Alex Spinks, Stephen Jones
We have set up a Virgin Money Giving website as below and we would be very grateful if you could donate whatever you can afford and help King’s continue their amazing work to give others like Zara a second chance at life.
Thank you all for anything you can spare:
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/Givetolive
Many thanks for your generosity
Kind regards
Roger
Roger Christmas | Group Finance & Strategy Director
D 01444 238378 | E roger.christmas@bennettchristmas.com