Thanks for taking the time to visit the JustGiving page for Julie Pickford.

I spent a lot of my teens seriously unwell with kidney problems that didn't resolve. But 25 years ago I was referred to the Renal Unit at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford. Following their diagnosis and surgery my condition was stabilised. I have since had 25 years of great care and monitoring enabling me to live a normal life and give birth to my lovely son Oliver.

I will always be a renal patient and hopefully will remain under the care of Dr Winearls and his fantastic team at the Oxford Kidney & Transplant Unit. Kidney disease isn't very high profile or glamorous yet many people need the help and care of the unit. They are fundraising now for a new ward. When folk criticise the NHS I am happy to point out that I have had the same consultant for 25 years!

To mark my own landmark anniversary, we will be undertaking a sponsored walk in July from Winston Churchill's grave in Bladon to the Churchill Hospital, about 13 miles following the route of the Oxford Canal. Ian and Milo will be doing all of it, me and other friends, bipedal and four legged, will do only some of it.  We can't walk far enough to fund a new ward (!) but hope that whatever we raise will go a little way to say thank you for 25 years of outstanding care. 

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