Sheffield Hospital Charitable Trust Logo

Latest ne

 

› Back to Latest news

 

Record Breaking Attempt by Six Year Old Tom

Friday 27th February 2009

The Feto-Maternal Assessment Unit and the Special Care Baby Unit at the Jessop Wing in Sheffield received a welcome boost recently, thanks to a successful record-breaking attempt by six year old Tom Fryers.

Tom and his father Paul, of Oxspring Sheffield, took part in a major fundraising challenge, to walk all 214 of the Wainwright Peaks in the Lake District, to raise money for Sheffield Hospitals Charitable Trust. After walking 480 miles and climbing over 150,000 feet, Tom finished the challenge by reaching the summit of Wansfell in August 2008, and was entered into the record books as the youngest person to climb all 214 of the Lake District’s highest peaks.

Paul explains, “As a family we spend quite a bit of time in the Lake District, as Tom’s grandparents live there. Tom started walking from a young age, climbing his first peak in 2005 when he was just three and a half years old. He has loved climbing ever since.

”Tom started his life at the Jessop Wing. He was born with complications and doctors were concerned that he would not fully recover. Paul continues “Tom had a very traumatic start to his life, but after receiving such fantastic care at the hospital, he went on to make a full recovery. We wanted to raise money for the two units to show our appreciation to all the staff who work there and to help other families in similar circumstances.  So far we have raised £2,249.73 for the charity and would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has sponsored Tom and helped us achieve this.” 

The whole family, including Tom’s mother Helen and his younger brother James, were visiting the Special Care Baby Unit for the first time since Tom was a patient. The family spent time talking to staff and updating them on what Tom had been up to since they last saw him.

Dr Vincent Kirkbride, Consultant Neonatologist at the Jessop Wing, accepted the cheque on behalf of the two units. He said:“I would like to thank both Tom and his father Paul for all their hard work in completing this amazing challenge. Their efforts really are appreciated by everyone here at the hospital. The money they have raised will be used to help other children and families who are experiencing the same problems. Donations such as these ensure that we can continue to provide excellent care and support for our patients, within a service that remains second to none.”

If you would like to make a donation, please visit Tom’s JustGiving page at www.justgiving.co.uk/tomfryers2

 

 

 

›Back to Top