Molly’s Marathon….They rebuilt me so I could walk again.. now this marathon is for them.

I am completing this huge personal challenge to raise funding for Sheffield Children’s hospital. This fundraiser is taking place starting the 20th of August where I will be walking the Tissington Trail. 

 After having numerous surgeries at the Queens Medical Centre from being under them all my life in February 2018  I was referred to Sheffield Children’s hospital as I needed major reconstructive surgery for hip dysplasia, something I’d had since birth. In August 2018 I underwent major reconstructive surgery where my pelvis was broken to allow my hip to create a more secure ball and socket joint, this involved screws being drilled into my bones to hold the new structure in place. The procedure itself went to plan but I suffered post-surgery complications, this lead to further surgery and the beginning of the toughest challenges I had ever faced.Infections prolonged my rehab meaning I was physically weak could not walk unaided for months on end not knowing when or if I’d be physically strong to walk again. Whilst I was in hospital being treated for an infection, it was brought to the ward staff’s attention that I had a curvature in my spine and I was referred to the spinal team at Sheffield Children’s hospital. I was diagnosed with severe idiopathic scoliosis and was told that the only treatment was to undergo spinal fusion surgery. This would mean more surgery, at least another nine hours in theatre. I had to wait until I could walk to have this operation so that my body was strong enough to take more major surgery. On 21^st March 2019 I underwent major spinal fusion surgery where I had 2 titanium rods and a significant number of screws drilled into the full length of my spine. After the surgery it wasn’t all plain sailing, my pain relief failed, my lungs collapsed, and I contracted pneumonia.

Throughout all of this I was cared for. I was cared for by  the amazing staff including the surgeons, some who would contact me on their days off to check up on me, by the doctors and nurses on the ward who got to know me and treated me with such dignity and kindness, by the kitchen staff who looked after me when I was struggling to eat (fetching me ice cream!) and by the cleaners who would pop in and say hello… and the physiotherapists who encouraged me to push myself to my absolute limits.

Whilst my story may sound awful.. and I am not fully fixed... I now feel the most mentally strong that ever have been, thanks to the amazing staff at Sheffield Children’s Hospital. So it’s now time to give back. This is why I want to take on this huge personal challenge and complete a marathon to show my appreciation and gratefulness!

For those of you who are wondering how I will ever accomplish this (and this includes myself!)….

‘WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS, MAKE ORANGE JUICE AND LEAVE THE WORLD WONDERING HOW YOU DID IT’