A woman from Clayton-le-Woods is to face her greatest fear to raise funds for Royal Preston Hospital.
Jen Hayward, 42, is set to abseil down a tower to say thank you for the treatment she received during her peritonitis diagnosis.
She recalled her life-threatening experience, which left her abdomen swollen and made her unable to eat and said: “Here’s the thing that stuck with me.
“On Christmas Day, while I was lying there feeling at my absolute lowest, the team at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals brought me a Christmas gift. Such a simple thing, but it meant the world.
“Now, three months on, I’m finally getting back on my feet, and I want to say thank you — not just with words, but by doing something that genuinely terrifies me.”
“The thought of going over that edge makes my stomach flip but after everything the team at the Royal Preston Hospital did for me, a bit of fear feels like a small price to pay as every penny I raise will go to Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity, helping them continue to provide the extras, including those Christmas gifts, which remind you someone cares when you need it most.”
The event will take place on 9 May, and all funds will go towards the hospital’s trust.
Lucy Clark, fundraiser for LTHC, said: “Thank you to Jen for facing her fear and signing up to what has become our annual abseil of Peel Tower in Holcombe Brook.
“It’s fantastic she was inspired by all the staff that cared for her when in hospital, and that her Christmas gift helped lift her spirits when she was at such a low ebb.”
So far Jen has raised more than £700 towards her abseil.
Anyone wanting to take on the Peel Tower abseil can do so by signing up via the LTHC website – it is £35 to enter with a minimum of £50 needing to be raised in sponsorship.
Support Blog Preston: Keep our community reporting going and view the website without any adverts too. Sign up for a membership today.
Stay updated: Keep in touch directly with the latest headlines from Blog Preston, join our WhatsApp channel and subscribe for our twice-a-week email newsletter. Both free and direct to your phone and inbox. Help us report too, by contacting us if you see something we should be reporting on.
Read more: See the latest Preston news and headlines
