Story
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Please keep donating the page will remain open for three months after the event ...</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">It was amazing on Sunday the atmosphere was fantastic, the crowds were huge and so supportive! I kept going and dug deep for everyone. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">I loved going over Tower Bridge best and along the Embankment with Big Ben in the distance. As I ran past the final turn I saw Buckingham Palace and the finish line, I just sprinted as fast as I possibly could and raised my hands up in the air as I crossed the line - it was awesome!</span></p>
<p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Previous posts:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">A member of staff from the Elective Orthopaedic Centre (EOC) at Epsom Hospital is taking the love of her job the extra mile – as she’s getting ready to take on the London Marathon to raise money for the cause.</p>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jo Wilkinson, a Service Manager at the EOC (the UK’s largest hip and knee replacement centre, with a reputation of delivering a world-class service), is currently in training for the big run (which takes place 22 April 2012) and is asking for donations to fund orthopaedic research.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jo explained: “A hip or knee replacement can quite simply, change a life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve worked here for four and a half years now, and over that time, I’ve seen the difference a joint replacement can make – before their operation, our patients are often in quite a lot of pain and aren’t as mobile as they would like to be, and in some cases, can be housebound.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">“But that can all change once they’ve undergone a hip or knee replacement – I’ve seen a 92 year old given a whole new lease of life!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s exactly why I’m doing this, to make sure we can keep on making a difference to the people who need it.”</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jo has now finished the last big run of her training, having taken on a 20-mile run last week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said: “I’m feeling quietly confident at the moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That might change as I get to the starting line, but as long as I can finish and raise some money for the EOC, then I’ll be happy.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">“There’s something really special about taking on a marathon in the Olympic year. Everyone’s behind me and the support so far has been fantastic.”</span></span></p>
<p>Thank you for your kind donation.</p>
