Marathon Michelle sets her sights on London to support our hospital charity
Monday 2nd March 2020
Michelle Hollins, a healthcare assistant at the Queen Victoria Hospital, is swapping her theatre scrubs for trainers as she sets her sights on the London Marathon in aid of the hospital’s charity.
She’s determined to raise £1,500 for QVH Charity, which funds important initiatives at the Queen Victoria Hospital like medical research projects to find new treatments, providing more and better equipment as well as improving patient environments.
Whilst Michelle is no stranger to marathon running, having Paris, Prague, Edinburgh and Brighton under her belt, and a series of ultra marathons, London has always been the one to escape her. “I started running in 2010 after watching the London Marathon on the television with my mum,” explains Michelle. “The atmosphere looked incredible and I remember saying to her “I can do that”. That day I put my trainers on and ran four miles and from then I’d got the running bug. I’d been unsuccessful many times in the ballot but 2020 is my year!”
Asked why she chose to support QVH Charity, Michelle said: “I’m in awe of the incredible work that is carried out across the different specialisms at our hospital and how people’s lives have literally been rebuilt and transformed. Through my running journey I’ve not gone without injury and have been a frequent visitor to Queen Victoria Hospital as a patient too. I’ve always had excellent patient care and so this is my way of giving something back.”
You’ll be able to spot Michelle in her yellow running vest pounding the streets of East Grinstead, although she admits training around her theatre shift patterns can be a challenge. “You’ll find me out in all weathers, up at 6am on my days off and doing long runs at the weekends. I’ve got a sense of purpose, the motivation to train and now the chance to achieve one of my own personal goals. London Marathon – I’m coming for you!”
Camilla Slattery, head of fundraising for QVH Charity said: “We’re delighted that Michelle is running the London Marathon in aid of our hospital charity. Without the support of people like her we would not be able to fund a range of vital projects at the hospital which fall outside of the remit of NHS funding but provide a real benefit to our patients.
You can sponsor Michelle online at https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MichelleHollins
For more information please contact the QVH Press Office on 01342 414508.