Stuart Vince is fundraising for Southampton Hospital Charity

The Big Donor Challenge

I'm running from Portsmouth to Land's End and back for Southampton Hospital Charity because I want to increase awareness of the Donor Register

Event: The Big Donor Challenge

Stuart Vince

Raised: 113%

£11,364.30 raised of £10,000.00 target

185 donations

My Target:

£10,000.00

£11,364.30 raised so far

Donate

How to make a donation

Donate online at - www.justgiving.com/Stuart-Vince

By mobile internet Scan this code on your smartphone to go straight to Stuart Vince's page.

Qr Code

By text message to donate £10 Text TBDC99 £10
to 70070

My story

Bravery, burning desire to help or just being human?

Throughout my childhood years I climbed trees, broke bones, ran around kicking a ball the length and breadth of Britain scoring goals and dreaming of my future. In my case my dream was to help people and become a firefighter helping to put out fires, saving and keeping people safe. As far as I can remember, this is all I wanted to do and thankfully something I’ve achieved.

However, just over six months ago, I decided to undertake one of the biggest challenges of my life, that was to give up part of me to help another person live.

It all sound very heroic and brave, hey I’m a fire fighter, that’s what we do, but in reality it wasn’t heroic, admittedly it was a little brave, but let me explain why.

A friend’s brother, a young lad named Michael had been suffering with a condition that had affected his immune system since the age of five. A couple of years ago, this condition finally took its toll on his kidneys causing un-repairable damage and at the age of seventeen he was having dialysis three times a week.

I’ve known Michael for years, he’s a great lad, loves football and doing the things that any young man does at the age of nineteen. At the age of five he caught a virus which attacked his immune system damaging his kidneys. This went on until the age of fifteen when he noticed that he was feeling extremely tied when playing football, he just thought he wasn’t fit. Unfortunately, he found out it was due to very low haemoglobin levels and eventually had to start dialysis.

Michael was attached to a machine for four hours at a time, three days a week, if you put the travelling time into the equation, and the time his family spent looking after him during his visits to the hospital, it turned out to be around five days a week, Michael spent most of his time resting.

During the first few years of dialysis, Michael couldn’t be added to the donor register until his blood count had reached a certain level. And it was only after further complications two years later and his spleen was removed to help his haemoglobin levels was he able to go on to the waiting list. During this time his family and friends were all tested to see if they could donate their kidney once Michael was well enough to receive it, disappointingly none were compatible.

In my job I put my life on the line all the time, that’s what firefighters do and sadly we have all seen some of my courageous colleagues give their lives to save others. People who know me understand that not many things phase me and in my job decisions are sometimes instant and sometime considered, they have to be. But this decision was different, there was no urgency of a blazing fire, no heat of the moment life or death choice, it was a calm quiet battle with my own thoughts.

In June 2011 we both entered Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth and underwent surgery and the procedure was a success. Michael doesn’t plan his life around dialysis anymore, he can do the things that anyone else can do, he has his life back and me I have one less kidney, I can still run, I can still do sports, I still climb trees to rescue cats and I live a normal life with the satisfaction that I was lucky to be giving a gift which was to be able to give a special gift to a great kid.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.

My gallery 4

My Teams

My company

My charity

Southampton Hospital Charity

Charity Registration No. 1051543

Southampton Hospital Charity aims to complement and enhance services and facilities for patients and their families in the care of Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust. The NHS Trust supports the needs of half a million people living in the city and south west Hampshire, and also provides specialist services to more than three million people in central southern England, the Channel Islands and further afield. With your help the Charity can help to provide a hospital environment that exceeds expectations. <p> If you would like your donation or fundraising activity to benefit a particular area or The Red & White Appeal, please specify this on your fundraising page or, if making a donation, in the free text box.

Donations 185

Donation by Kate Eales on 30/09/12

£10.00

Money donated by staff on the renal unit at QAH for my 30 mile jaunt to Lyndhurst with the boys. Thank you to one and all for their generosity.

Donation by Keith Graetz on 04/09/12

£189.70

+ £47.43 Gift Aid

Well done stu and phill From the staff at northern parade junior school. Xx

Donation by Nikki Wiseman on 31/08/12

£52.00

Well Done! I've got a few extra cheques which I'll post. Rest of the money has been donated directly on here. Looking forward to next year!

Donation by Chris Wood on 25/08/12

£400.00

+ £100.00 Gift Aid

Well done, Stu and Phil, This money was raised by nathan and donated from work and friends xx

Donation by charmaine wall on 20/08/12

£565.00

+ £141.25 Gift Aid

From someone special. You know who you are!

Donation by TBDC on 08/08/12

£1,000.00

+ £250.00 Gift Aid

From Megan, The Peggs,Lawsons & Brookes

Donation by TBDC on 08/08/12

£160.00

+ £40.00 Gift Aid

From Carly,Sarah, Charlotte & Emma. Charity Walk

Donation by Charity Walk on 08/08/12

£547.00

From Char Football night

Donation by Charmaine Wall on 08/08/12

£210.00

+ £52.50 Gift Aid

Donations from Premier Aftercare Ltd, Darlaston, West Midlands and members at Nuffield Health Club Portsmouth.

Donation by Phil Jackson on 20/07/12

£230.50

Thank you to all our friends, family and work colleagues for their generous donations and support.

Donation by Fay,Jacqui,Jackie,Mike (Bungle) & Sam on 18/07/12

£1,530.60

+ £382.65 Gift Aid

Fantastic effort, despite all the problems along the way, and a truly inspirational story. Congratulations to you both!

Donation by Jane Atkinson on 10/07/12

£25.00

+ £6.25 Gift Aid

From Scott and Amy on behalf of their EL colleagues.

Donation by Scott Gofton on 04/07/12

£75.00

+ £18.75 Gift Aid

Nice story and nice cause. Well done Stu and Phil. Catch up soon.

Donation by Ian & Pip Raybold on 02/07/12

£50.00

fantastic effort!!!

Donation by murray cameron on 27/06/12

£20.00

+ £5.00 Gift Aid

Well Done Char I am so proud of you Lots of love Mum X

Donation by Lorraine Paxman on 19/06/12

£20.00

+ £5.00 Gift Aid

Well done on completing the challenge! TheHill family

Donation by Claire Hill on 18/06/12

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

Donation by Nikki Wiseman on 17/06/12

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

Donation by Anne Stevenson on 17/06/12

£58.50

+ £14.63 Gift Aid

Donations from Terry Roeton & Stuart ( Phils Uncle & Cousin ) , Jaqui & Peter Kibble and Dave Holmyard.