After three and a half weeks in hospital, a Christmas spent nil by mouth, and months of recovery, our Jen did something that absolutely terrified her, and raised £1,000 for Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity in the process.
What happened
Back in November, Jen was rushed into Royal Preston Hospital with appendicitis. What should have been a straightforward operation quickly turned serious. An emergency laparoscopy revealed peritonitis, a severe, sepsis-level infection, and Jen was so badly ill that she couldn’t eat for 14 days.
She finally made it home on 8th December, but recovery was far from straightforward. Daily trips back to hospital for IV medication followed, alongside oral antibiotics at home. Then, just when things seemed to be turning a corner, an adverse reaction to her medication landed her back in hospital on Christmas Eve.
Jen spent Christmas Day and Boxing Day back on a ward, nil by mouth. Not exactly the festive break any of us had planned for her.
A small thing that meant the world
On Christmas Day, while Jen was at her absolute lowest, the team at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals brought her a gift. A simple gesture, but one that stuck with her long after she left the ward.
It reminded her that someone cared, and that those small extras make a real difference when you’re at your most vulnerable.
Facing her fear
Three months on and finally back on her feet, Jen wanted to say thank you properly. Not just with words, but by doing something that genuinely scared her.
She signed up to abseil 128ft down Peel Tower.
Jen is terrified of heights. The thought of going over that edge made her stomach flip. But after everything the team at Royal Preston did for her, a bit of fear felt like a small price to pay.
She did it
Jen faced her fear head-on, made it down all 128ft, and raised an incredible £1,000 for Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity. Every penny goes towards helping the charity provide specialist equipment, patient comforts, and those small but meaningful touches, like Christmas gifts, that remind patients someone is thinking of them.
We are so proud of her. From a hospital bed to the edge of Peel Tower. That takes some serious grit.
Well done, Jen!
