6 April 2011
A senior nurse at St Helier Hospital is limbering up for the race of her life, as she prepares to take on the London Marathon to raise money for kidney research.
Sue Woodcock, the lead nurse for Trust's renal department, will be taking part in the 26.2 mile run later this month to raise vital funds for the South West Thames Institute for Renal Research.
Sue said: "I've been a renal nurse for the last 22 years and during that time I have met some very brave, motivated and sometimes very scared patients with kidney disease.
Kidney disease is a long term condition that can come with a lot of complications and unfortunately, we don't have a cure for it. Treatment for kidney conditions lasts for life, and it can be very time-consuming.
"But, the doctors and scientists at the South West Thames Institute for Renal Research are working hard to find a cure, and that's exactly why I am trying to raise funds for them. It would be a wonderful thing if, one day, I would be able to say to a patient 'you have kidney disease but we can cure you'."
Dr James Marsh, the top doctor in the renal department, said: "Sue is one of those nurses who would do anything to help patients and will always go the extra mile to help. Except this time of course, she's going the extra 26 miles!
"We're all really proud of her, and know that she's going to work as hard as she can to raise money for this fantastic cause."
Sue is already well into her training, and has finished her final big run before the race. She said: "Training hasn't been easy, but I think it's more to do with your mind than your body - you've got to urge yourself to keep going at all costs. My dad was a real inspiration too - when I was 18 and he was 46, I watched him compete in the Wolverhampton marathon. It was an incredible thing to see and I knew as I watched him that, one day, I would do a marathon too. Now I'm a year older than he was when he took part, so it seemed like the perfect time.
"I won't beat his time of three and a half hours, but I'll be happy if I cross that finish line in five hours."
