We are taking part in Operation Dreamland!

You can view a video about this here:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ-nOlLMVtU

We are completing a Kenyan ultramarathon over the next 4 days.

Now that we (hopefully) have your attention, let’s give you some context.

As some of you may know, we are currently completing our final medical placement at IcFEM Dreamland Mission Hospital in rural Kenya. Over our 4 week stay, we have witnessed heart-breaking stories, met inspirational hospital workers and immersed ourselves in this unique community. For these reasons, we feel compelled to give something back to these amazing people in whatever way we can.

Our initial plan was to fundraise upon returning to the UK. However, this weekend we reconsidered and thought: why not do something whilst we’re actually here? So with 2 days notice, we decided to complete an ultramarathon (50km) over our final 4 days here. This means that each morning we will be running 12.5km, (which is the distance from our accommodation, to the hospital and back, twice), before heading to the hospital to work in the afternoon.

There are several factors which will make this run particularly challenging. We are running at an altitude of 6000 feet, which essentially means that our lungs will be working at 70% of their baseline capacity. The wet season means that we will face conditions of either torrential rain or 30° unrelenting heat on the equator. And we will also be running on rocky terrain which is calling out for a twisted ankle. We should also probably mention that due to the characteristic last-minute nature of this, we have done no training for this challenge.

If you are still reading then I’m nearly done rambling don’t worry. We would really appreciate any donations to our efforts and this amazing cause. The ultimate aim is to fund a new operating theatre for the hospital, and from first-hand experience we can confirm this would make a world of difference to the patients and staff at IcFEM. A company has also very kindly agreed to price-match all donations, meaning that a £5 donation from you would give IcFEM £10! So we really have the chance to do something special here.

IcFEM is an incredible place and this money could literally transform lives. Thank you for taking the time to read our post.