Lilian raises thousands for our hospitals
For over 40 years, Lilian has called Newham home. Throughout the ups and downs of the last four decades, Newham Hospital has been there for Lilian, including the birth of two of her three children.
After a recent trip to A&E, Lilian was inspired by the incredible work being done by all the staff and decided to give back by participating in Hike for Health.
Hike for Health is a walk across East London that is organised by Barts Charity – taking place on Sunday 21 September this year. The route encompasses the historic and newer sites of the City of London before looping back along the Thames Path, past St Paul’s Cathedral, to St Bartholomew’s Square in the hospital grounds.
Participants can walk either 1km, 5km or 15km. They will fundraise so Barts Charity can be there through the highs and lows for patients and families at Newham Hospital, along with the four other hospitals in Barts Health NHS Trust.
"When I was at Newham Hospital watching everyone go by, I could see all the effort that everyone was putting in, including the porters and the cleaners. I saw the advert for Hike for Health and thought it would be a great way to show my support," Lilian explains.
"Every time I have to go to hospital, I'm always so happy with how I'm treated. Everyone is always doing their best and smiling. It's not an easy job, but I appreciate everything they do. I've been going there for 40 years. Coming from an NHS background myself, I understand how much people have to put into their work, I really appreciate it all."
For Lilian, Hike for Health was the perfect way to show her appreciation for all the support she’s received from Barts Health over the years, and she "loved every second of it." Through her incredible fundraising efforts, Lilian raised nearly £1,500 for Barts Charity last year – a figure she’s hoping to build on by participating in this year’s Hike for Health.
"I did the 15k walk, but I could have done 20k! Once the adrenaline set in, I could have just continued on. For the first time, I went to my local park and walked 10k around the park. I didn’t know I could do that! It’s been great getting some fresh air and putting some music on while seeing my local community from a different perspective."
"On the day, my sons were there at the finish line to give me a big hug and a kiss. People were there to cheer us on, which was great. I started off walking in a little group of people and stayed with one person called Anna until the end. We had so much to talk about, and she shared her own experiences with me. The 15k went so quickly because we were talking the whole time! We exchanged numbers and are planning on meeting up for walks."
Lilian is now excited to continue fundraising for Barts Charity by entering this year’s Hike for Health.
"You’ve been there for me through the highs and the lows. Newham is home, so Barts Health is home."
Hike for Health is taking place on Saturday 21 September. To book your place please visit: https://www.bartscharity.org.uk/events/barts-hike-for-health/