An NHS worker from Bridgend who is based in the cardiology catheter theatres at the University Hospital of Wales is taking on an epic challenge to help raise vital funds for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) Cymru.
Elizabeth Sim is training hard for the South Wales Wild Horse 200 Ultra Marathon, a footrace set in the heartlands of Wales over 5 days, starting on 13th April.
Elizabeth says, “This is a challenge harder than anything I have physically experienced before. I have 120 hours (5 days) to complete the 200-mile course. The route has 30,187 feet of climbing. No repetition or long out and backs, just one monstrous run across the trails and mountains of South Wales, along Offa’s Dyke, traversing the Beacons Way before catching the Heart of Wales Line on to the Wales Coast Path and finish line at Worm’s Head.
“At the finish, if I finish, I will receive a map of the route, a t-shirt, a medal, a body that will hate me, but memories that will absolutely last a lifetime. Those who know me well, know that every year since losing my partner in 2016 I have challenged myself, and raised money for charity in the process.
“I challenge myself to do something that I can push myself with and raise funds for charity. These challenges have kept me focused, given me a huge sense of purpose, and for the first few years ensured that I survived the trauma I faced.
“I am raising money again this year for the British Heart Foundation and we would both be so grateful for your support.”
Last year Elizabeth was joined by healthcare workers on her team at UHW, who took part in the Three Peaks challenge for BHF Cymru, raising almost £3,400 for the charity’s research.
Elizabeth says she can see the impact heart disease has on patients and their families and decided raising money for the BHF was a worthwhile cause.
Jayne Lewis BHF Fundraising Manager said “We are so grateful to Elizabeth for supporting the BHF’s research. For more than 60 years the public’s generosity has funded BHF research that has turned ideas that once seemed like ‘science fiction’ into treatments that save lives every day. But millions of people are still waiting for the next breakthrough.
“Today in Wales around 340,000 people are living with the daily burden of heart and circulatory diseases and dozens of families will lose loved ones to devastating heart diseases. We urgently need the public’s support to keep our life saving research going, and to discover the treatments of the future. It is only with donations from the public that the BHF can keep its lifesaving research going, helping us turn science fiction into reality.”
To support Elizabeth, please click on: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/elizabeth-sim4
