Grateful Louth mum runs for charity that helped during daughter's brain-tumour trauma
A grateful mum from Louth is to go the extra mile to reward a charity that gave vital help when her daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
In fact, as many as THIRTY extra miles because 56-year-old Trudy Walker is to tackle an ultra-marathon to raise funds for The Sick Children’s Trust.
The charity came to Trudy’s rescue last year when her 16-year-old daughter, Emily Harding, had to face traumatic surgery to remove the rare tumour, which was found after a spell of headaches.
The operation was so risky that Emily could have lost her sight. But it was at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, which is some 83 miles and a drive of one hour, 43 minutes away from the pair’s home on Brackenborough Road in Louth.
So in stepped the trust to provide Trudy with much-needed accommodation nearby, enabling her to stay with her daughter.
“It was an anxious time and quite scary,” says Trudy. “I spent the first two nights Emily was in hospital by her bedside.
"The operation was meant to last six hours but went on for ten hours and then she was transferred to the high-dependency unit.
"The Sick Children’s Trust provided a ‘home from home’ for me at Treetop House in the hospital.
"I had a bed to sleep in and I was able to cook meals, wash my clothes and, most importantly, stay close to Emily. There was even a direct phone line to her ward.
"I was there for two weeks until Emily was discharged and allowed to go home with lots of medication.
"The trust doesn’t charge or ask families for any money, but I was very grateful to have somewhere close to stay.
"It was one less worry, so now I want to pay back this amazing charity and support them.”
Trudy, who works for Lincolnshire County Council teaching children with special needs, admits that the way she has chosen to support the trust – by running a 30-mile ultra-marathon – is “a huge challenge”.
Yes, she has been a member of Louth Athletics Club for five years after completing one of its ‘couch-to-5K’ initiatives. But the furthest she has ever gone before is a half-marathon of 13 miles.
Nevertheless, her training is getting her up to speed. She ran as many as 21 miles one Sunday this month and took part in the Goulceby 10K.
Now she feels she is ready for the Dukeries trail-running event through Sherwood Forest, Clumber Park and Creswell Crags in Nottinghamshire’s Robin Hood country on Saturday, May 9.
What’s more, she has garnered some amazing support from well-wishers through a JustGiving page, where her fundraising target of £1,500 is 97 per cent of the way there thanks to donations from 80 supporters.
“I’m really chuffed and want to thank everyone who has donated,” says Trudy, who used to teach at St Bernard’s School in Louth.
As for Emily, the operation had obvious life-limiting consequences, but she is recovering nicely, with the support of her mum and dad Peter, who lives in Stockport.
She will remain on medication for the rest of her life, and there is a risk that the tumour will return. But she is back at school full-time at Louth Academy and studying for her GCSEs.
“She still gets tired quite easily,” explains Trudy. “She can’t walk to school and can’t yet play netball again, which she used to before.
"Life is a bit different, but she is doing amazingly well.”
Meanwhile, The Sick Children’s Trust, continues to be a godsend across the country for so many families who have a seriously ill child in hospital, offering a comfortable place to stay and a friendly ear to listen to.
Since 1982, it has helped more than 80,000 families. Trudy is so pleased and relieved that she became yet another beneficiary.