Richard Hart from Kempston is on a mission to raise £20,000.
We will let Richard tell his own story: “Over The last two and a half years I have been trying to raise £20,000 for the Guys and St Thomas Hospital Trust in London in recognition of the fantastic work they do in caring for my daughter Emily.
“She was born with Kidney failure and at the age of seven needed a kidney transplant.
“Thankfully she was able to have one of mine and under the Trust’s excellent care the kidney has lasted over 20 years.
“This has enabled Emily to complete her schooling at Hastingsbury School in Kempston, go to Bedford College to study child care, and then go on to qualify as a children’s nurse.
“She is now working at Great Ormond Street Hospital as a qualified nurse.
“Emily has done incredibly well against the odds and to recognise the 20th anniversary of the transplant in 2020 we set out to raise the £20,000.
“We have managed to do lots of sponsored events, quiz nights, music evenings, afternoon teas, a gin festival, cake sales and a prosecco brunch.
“The Bedfordshire Charitable Trust have been incredibly generous to us and I cannot tell you what the support of my employers, The Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, has meant to me they; they have been incredible.
“We are so grateful to all those who have supported us along the way.
“Now we are up to over £17.300, the end is in sight.
“On October 3, I shall be running the London Marathon with the aim of trying to smash the target, so please, if you can, sponsor me to do that, just go my Just Giving page and donate what you can.
“Unfortunately in its 21st year Emily’s kidney is failing and she needs another transplant.
“Sadly I have given her my spare and can do no more than be a caring parent.
“The Trust are currently considering other family members as possible donors.
“We are trying to keep positive and in the meantime we keep fundraising.
“I had hoped to reach the target earlier but with Covid and all the restrictions many of our activities have had to be cancelled.
“That is just the way it is and many of us have been affected in lots of ways but what has come out of it all is the enormous debt we all owe to the NHS.
“Guys and St Thomas’ Hospitals maybe in London yet they are one of the centres of excellence that give the treatment that many of the local hospitals cannot give.
“So please help me on my final sprint finish to get as much as possible for them and donate at:”
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/transplant2020
