Sam Thomas

My 10k Trustee Challenge

Fundraising for Rockinghorse Children's Charity
£10,039
raised of £10,000 target
My £10k Trustee Challenge , 25 January 2022
We fund vital medical equipment and support to improve life for sick children in Sussex

Story

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. Below is My story and why I am raising money for this amazing Charity.

On 2nd May 2015 our amazing twins were born. We were thrown straight into the roller coaster of parenthood when our daughter Sienna was born with no complications, but then our son Luca struggled to survive due to a prolapsed cord. We watched, helpless, as doctors flooded the room and took over the enormous responsibility of keeping our son alive.

The focus and determination they showed in those early moments will never leave our minds. Luca was given oxygen and a relatively new “cooling mat” treatment to prevent his tiny brain from swelling. We were given the devastating news that he might not survive, but if he did was likely to face severe brain damage. The nurses in the days ahead were nothing short of angels. The Trevor Mann Baby Unit which we had heard of but never thought we would need became our lifeline.

Every minute was spent watching and hoping that Luca would survive. We saw the dedication and care given to every single child first hand. Day by day Luca built up his strength and overcame small milestones. We started to get some more positive feedback from doctors over the coming weeks and by week 4 we were able to take Luca home to meet his sister Sienna.

We had two years of testing and monitoring and then aged 2 years old we were so happy to say that Luca had reached every milestone alongside his sister. We could call it a miracle. But like many things in life, it wasn’t luck, but the relentless hard work of the doctors and nurses at the Trevor Mann Baby Unit that kept our son alive. 

At that stage we made a promise to support and do as much as possible to help this amazing charity. We can never repay what this means to us. But we hope over the past 6 years through various events, fundraisers, marathons, sponsorship and auctions raising over £10,000 so far, that the funds will go to people and equipment to whom we literally owe our lives.’

Now as a Trustee I aim to continue my support and do even more to spread awareness and support for this incredible charity. This is their 55th year and my first full year as a trustee and I wanted to make as much of an impact as possible, so aim to raise £10k over the year, through a variety of events and challenges from a lot of running to jumping out of plan to a 24 hour podcast and much more. I thank you all in advance for your support and hope you can help me hit my target. 

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About the charity

Rockinghorse is a Brighton-based charity which has been supporting children for over 50 years. It was set up in 1967 by Dr Trevor Mann to improve healthcare services for sick children and babies. The charity fundraises for items for every child's treatment, from toys to life-saving equipment.

Donation summary

Total raised
£10,039.00
+ £831.00 Gift Aid
Online donations
£3,849.00
Offline donations
£6,190.00

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