RE-LEARNING how to walk didn’t stop a generous Rugby man in his tracks when he completed a five mile walk – raising £1,500 for the hospital unit which got him back on his feet.
Active family man Garry Townsend-Kennedy suddenly had to re-learn basic skills when he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare brain condition, in June 2015.
On the road to recovery after spending three months at Leamington Spa Hospital’s Central England Rehabilitation Unit (CERU), Garry wanted to give something to the people who helped him get his life back.
So, in December, Garry – along with family, friends and work colleagues – took part in the Santa Dash around Draycote Water dressed in full Father Christmas get up.
Even though he had been wheelchair-bound just months earlier, Garry walked the five miles – marking an important milestone in his recovery.
It was particularly poignant as he has previously enjoyed taking part in the festive fundraiser prior to his illness, and wanted to do it again.
Garry said: “My recovery would not have been possible without the hard work, dedication and encouragement I received during my time at CERU.
“I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has supported me and made donations.
“Fundraising can make a real difference to the lives of patients undergoing rehabilitation and I would urge more people to get involved with the Central England Brain Injury Charity as you never know when you or a family member might need their care.”
Sue Bleasdale, General Manager at CERU said: “We are extremely grateful to Garry and his family for this generous donation.
“Thanks to support like this we are able to provide patients with upgraded equipment, which makes a real difference in their recovery.
“Completing this challenge was a fantastic achievement for Garry and I am so pleased that he chose to donate the sponsorship to us.”
Guillain-Barré Syndrome is a disease where the body’s immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system. It has a sudden onset and causes changes in sensation followed by paralysis in limbs.
The Central England Brain Injury Charity enhances the facilities at CERU to make the patients and relatives as comfortable as possible.
Call the Fundraising Department on 01926 495321 extension 8049 for more information or to discuss fundraising ideas.
