A YOUNG GIRL has made a very special ‘thank you’ to Great Ormond Street Hospital after she was rushed there for a major operation.
Lottie Pink was just seven years old when she was diagnosed with a large brain tumour following a routine eye check in January.
She was found a bed in Great Ormond Street Hospital within two days, and just two days later she had a very successful seven-hour operation to remove the tumour.
Although she will have to have regular checks for at least the next five years fortunately tumour was benign and she was able to return home again within a few days, and was back at school within a fortnight.
While recuperating she had the idea of trying to raise at least £1,000 for GOSH by undertaking two rowing challenges in her 1.6m Starfish dinghy.
The first, close to where she lives, involved rowing down the River Thames from Hampton Court Bridge to Kingston Bridge which she successfully completed, escorted by her father and six-year-old brother in the family kayak. Her second challenge was initially to row from Bembridge Sailing Club to the “Duck House” opposite Brading Haven Yacht Club. However, she was persuaded by her grandfather Mike - who is the Club Secretary at BSC - to actually row around St Helens Fort instead.
After days of strong winds, the weather and tides last Sunday were perfect, so escorted by her grandfather in a very old family row boat, her father in the kayak and the rest of the family in a RIB, Lottie, now eight, successfully made it to the Fort and back in an hour and a half. As a result brave Lottie has raised nearly £2,000 for GOSH so far.
