26 October 2023
FirstPort’s charity partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) has inspired colleagues from all over the country to raise vital funds for this much-loved cause, including Development Manager, Yvonne Hendy, who is currently training for next year’s London Marathon, in aid of the hospital, which has given great care and support to her family.
Yvonne has been a passionate fundraiser for many years, taking on a number of physical challenges for both local and national charities, including the Three Peaks Challenge in just 24 hours.
With FirstPort now partnered with GOSH, this has inspired Yvonne to embark upon her next charitable feat, this time, for a cause very close to home.
In 2015, Yvonne was diagnosed with Brugada Syndrome, a genetic heart condition, which required Yvonne to have a defibrillator device fitted to her heart.
Although symptoms of the condition are more common in adults, the hereditary nature of the condition requires Yvonne’s grandchildren to be monitored and assessed at Great Ormond Street Hospital on an annual basis.
Having visited the hospital with her family, Yvonne spoke glowingly of her experience:
When you go into Great Ormond Street, it’s an amazing atmosphere. You see all the children that you know are really, really poorly, but they all seem happy. It’s an amazing hospital.
Despite living with the condition herself, this has not deterred Yvonne from signing up for the 2024 London Marathon, aged 63, in aid of GOSH. With training now in full swing, Yvonne recently completed the Manchester Half Marathon in a fantastic time of two hours, 32 minutes.
We wish Yvonne all the very best in her continued training and fundraising, as well as on the big day on 21st April. To sponsor Yvonne, in aid of GOSH, visit her JustGiving page.
