I am a paediatric respiratory physio working at Ipswich Hospital and was lucky enough to secure a ballot place for the London Marathon in April this year. I have decided to make the most of my place and raise money for The Children’s Appeal at Ipswich Hospital and, to make it fun and far more entertaining for everyone out there, have decided to dress as the hospital’s fabulous mascot, Puddles the Duck! I tackled the event in 2012 where I managed to raise £1200 for my then-Trust, Bart’s Health; two babies, a few extra pounds and over a decade later I can feel it is going to be a slightly tougher challenge this time round!!

I have the absolute pleasure and privilege to work alongside some of the very best clinicians, nurses, admin staff and everyone in between and I have never felt more proud of the teams I am a part of. I have experienced my colleagues perform miracles under immense pressure to keep our patients in the arms of their loved ones and each day I am amazed by something new or something kind that has been demonstrated by the staff, despite the immense pressure the NHS is under. It’s tough in a hospital right now- and I wanted to raise some smiles and do some good during this heartbreaking climate in healthcare.

And my patients- my brave, unstoppable patients and their families…. You inspire me and you drive me to make sure I get this marathon and all the training done properly! So many of my patients face daily challenges with their lung health and it’s fair I put mine to the test to raise money for better facilities and better surroundings following our immense refurb of the Children’s Department for all to use. 

If you’ve read this far then thank you! And stay tuned for regular updates and mini events leading up to the big day- including a local 10k run dressed as Puddles on Monday 13th Feb starting from the Children’s Outpatients Department at Ipswich Hospital, as well as a decent dress rehearsal at the Cambridge Half Marathon on 5th March! 

For those on social media, please feel free to follow my dedicated account on Instagram where I’ll be uploading Strava runs, photos, and details of the blisters along the way 😉- find me at duck.it.lets.run 😃🐤

Thanks for reading and any donations of any size are so so appreciated!! 

Love Ali and Puddles xxx

The Colchester and Ipswich Hospitals Charity raises money to improve facilities, fund new equipment, provide additional services, support staff development and initiate local medical research and innovative projects at The East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust.We always ensure that your kind gifts and donations benefit the area of the hospital or community service that you choose. Every donation is greatly appreciated and makes a real and positive difference to the experience of being in hospital.