Words by Abi Scaife
A dad has rowed 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean to raise money for the hospital charity that supported his son.
Aw! Tell me more!
Gabe, now 12, was born 11 weeks premature, weighing just three pounds, in February 2011. He contracted meningitis and was cared for by the Leeds Children’s Hospital.
Gabe’s dad, 42-year-old Mike, from Roundhay, has raised over £175,000 with £137,000 of funds raised going to the Leeds Hospitals Charity. To do this, he spent a whopping 46 days, 6 hours, and 10 minutes at sea!
What has the money gone towards?
The incredible amount of money raised by Mike has helped to purchase six new monitors for the High Dependency Unit at Leeds Children’s Hospital.
The unit cares for hundreds of children a year and many of the young patients require close observation around the clock to monitor their recovery or the need for additional treatment.
Mike recently went to see the new monitors that his fundraising paid for - the first time he has been back since Gabe was cared for.
Congratulations, Mike - you did a great job!
Charity check-in
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
Create. Create is the UK's leading charity empowering lives, reducing isolation and enhancing wellbeing through the creative arts. Support them here.
Save The Children UK. Save the Children is a UK charity for children that works in over 100 countries to make sure children are fed, learning and treated fairly. Learn more here.
Barnardo’s. This is a children's charity that protects and supports children and young people in the UK who need them. Find out more here.
This article aligns with the UN SDG Good Health and Wellbeing.
