District nurses raise charity funds through Born Survivor challenge

The ten team mates after their charity challenge

The ten team mates after their charity challenge

Ten district nurses and therapists have raised £1,180 for dementia research by completing a gruelling fitness challenge.

The Bay District Nurses team members, who work for Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, tackled the eight-mile Born Survivor event at Lowther Castle near Penrith on April 9 in aid of Defying Dementia.

Based at the Queen Victoria Centre in Morecambe, the team members spent weeks in training in the run-up to the event.

Team member Stacey Kelly, 27, said: “It was one of the toughest things we have ever done but with a lot of support from each other we got through it!”

Liz Thompson, 35, said coping with the cold was one of the toughest aspects of the event.

She explained: “There were a number of river crossings, one of which we had to swim. It literally took your breath away!”

Hannah Caldecott, 27, said: “Team work kept us going. We could not have done it without  each other. Throwing each other over walls was good fun!”

Anna Nelson, 32, from Bolton-le-Sands, explained that the team decided to do the challenge for Defying Dementia as they work closely with patients with the condition.

Anna said: “We have all got closer as a team and we now have a great sense of achievement in raising so much money for our charity.”

Defying Dementia is based at Lancaster University and raises funds and awareness of research into neurodegenerative diseases.

Anna added: “We’d definitely recommend doing it as it has been great for our team spirit – but make sure you do some training!

“It’s very physically demanding and nothing will prepare you for the chill of the river.

“Everyone has been really supportive. Many colleagues have sponsored us and the messages of good luck were overwhelming.

“We feel relieved, proud and ready for the next challenge.”

Some of the nurses and therapists at the Victoria Centre in Morecambe

Some of the nurses and therapists at the Victoria Centre in Morecambe

Posted in Home Page, Positive, Press Releases, Values.