A dad has abseiled 160ft down St Thomas’ Hospital and cycled 1,000km across Scotland, raising more than £14,000 for charity.
Mark Verrall, whose baby daughter received life-saving care at Evelina London Children’s Hospital, wanted to give back to the doctors and nurses who treated his “beautiful little girl”.
At the fourteen-storey abseil, he was joined by 350 other daredevils who raised over £225,000 for Guy’s Cancer Charity, Guy’s & St Thomas’ Charity, and Evelina London Children’s Charity.
Mark’s daughter, Sofia, was born in May 2022 but had to be resuscitated at birth and received emergency care at Evelina London Children’s Hospital.
She remained in the intensive care unit for a month before returning home to her home in Bromley for the first time.
Now sixteen months old, Sofia continues to hit key milestones. Mark said: “She is seeing, hearing, giggling, smiling, interacting, and is the brightest little girl you could imagine. Sofia loves art, books, and understands both English and Italian. She is my inspiration and has climbed more mountains than I ever will.”
He added: “Sofia is a beautiful little girl and without Evelina London she may not be here today and the same could be said for so many babies.”
Mark completed the abseil less than two weeks after cycling a mammoth 1000km from Loch Ness in Scotland to Evelina London Children’s Hospital.
He and six friends completed the formidable distance in just seven days, facing 30-degree heat and climbed more than the height of Mount Everest.
At the abseil, he was joined by Ross Thomas, an HGV mechanic from South Devon, whose five-year-old son Stanley has achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism.
He has been receiving specialist care at Evelina London Children’s Hospital since he was four months old.
Stanley cheered on his dad as he abseiled down the hospital, whilst having raised over £2,000 for Evelina London Children’s Charity.
Alison Rulton-Reed, Head of Community and Events at the three charities, said: “We are so incredibly grateful to everyone who took part in the St Thomas’ abseil this year, and raised over £225,000 so far for Guy’s Cancer Charity, Guy’s & St Thomas’ Charity, and Evelina London Children’s Charity.
“The money raised is helping to fund life-saving equipment, life-changing research and better facilities for patients here – above and beyond what the NHS can provide.
“Our fundraisers, like Mark, Ross, and the London NHSBT Organ Donation Team, are a vital part of our community, and we couldn’t provide this support if it wasn’t for their incredible commitment to our hospitals.”