Avelina’s story: fundraising star’s a real winner

Nine-year-old fundraising star Avelina, has raised an incredible £1,850 for Hascombe Ward – our children’s ward at Royal Surrey County Hospital.

Keen triathlete Avelina from Haslemere was admitted to the ward just over a year ago for a rare autoimmune disease, where she was cared for at the Royal Surrey for a week, before being transferred to a specialist team at Evelina London Children’s Hospital.

Following her doctor’s advice to exercise as much as possible due to the medication she is on, she entered the KidsTriUK triathlon events to raise vital money for our Children’s Fund, and has even selflessly sold a new bike she won at a triathlon last summer. Avelina told us:  

“I never thought I would have to go to the hospital. It just surprised me when I found out I had these rashes on my legs, and I couldn't walk, and I got terrified. Luckily, I was able to go to the hospital, but the doctors didn't know what I had, and they took a lot of blood out of me. Then I got a kidney biopsy and I tried to run away when they put the mask on me to put me to sleep! And now I take drugs every day. I wanted to raise money so that the doctors can get some more medicine for the other kids, because it feels like they've given it all to me.”

Amazingly, Avelina finished 5th in the British Triathlon South East Regional Series as one of the youngest competitors for her age division. She went on to be selected for the Inter-Regional Duathlon Team.

Huge well done and thank you so much to Avelina for raising an amazing amount to support poorly children who are cared for at the Royal Surrey: you are an inspiration!

Thanks to amazing supporters like Avelina, our Children’s Fund has helped refurbish areas of the hospital used by our youngest patients, to make them more child-friendly and less clinical, including an enhanced parents room. Royal Surrey Charity has also funded items like iPads, toys and games consoles to help distract children while they’re in hospital, so they’re less anxious.

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