Hi Everyone,

Most of you know me, I’m Georgina. If you know me then you’ll have a good idea why I have decided to raise money for The Children’s Hospital in Sheffield…again. This will be challenge number 4 for me.

If you don’t know about me…grab a cuppa…here we go.

When I was not quite two years old, life got a little bit scary. Everything was going wrong and we were not sure why. Lots of chats, lots of tests, more scans than I could count and a stay in hospital led to me being diagnosed with Polyarticular Junior Idiopathic Arthritis.

That changed my life in a huge way but luckily for me, Sheffield Children’s Hospital have been by my side for a number of years and they are doing all they can to make sure I am ok and that children like me are ok too. This hospital really is the best for children…I would know, I’ve been in a few!

As I begin my Big Mission, I will be 11 years old but when I finish I will be 12. This will be my biggest Mission yet (as I am still not old enough to abseil down a building with my Dad). As I begin my Big Mission I will be moving to a new biological medicine, seeing my OT, seeing my physio, chatting with the rheumatology team, having blood tests and trying to get my body back on track after a big huge arthritis flare. No doubt at some point a bottle of antibiotics will be tagging along too as the medicine I take makes me immunosuppressed.

None of this really bothers me as I know I have the best medical team by my side. This is why I am raising money; to give back, to say thank you for all I have received and in the hope that other children like me can have all of the help that I have. Being poorly is rubbish but The Children’s Hospital always has something to make everyone feel a bit less sad about it.

Money raised through missions like mine helps to pay for things which make being chronically ill seem less…daunting. Last year, the hospital invited me to a craft workshop with other children like me. It was cool to meet children with arthritis as I then I really knew I am not alone and people understood exactly what it is like. I also met a girl younger than me and I felt proud to be able to help her family at the start of their journey like so many had helped me and mine. Thanks to those who have donated to this charity before as this is where the money can go. Don’t get me wrong, the Charity need money for the big things too. The new helipad looks great…but I hope I never need to use it!

In December 2025, I needed steroid injections into two of my joints. My hospital team really did pull out all of the stops including offering me a VR headset so I could go “on Safari“ instead of thinking about what was about to happen. Things like that are only possible because of the kindness of people like you.

Now…on to my Big Mission.

There’s a theme here…

I am going to begin in June (150 days from today, the 18th January)

- Moving 150 miles (walking, swimming or on my bike…absolutely no running thanks)

- Over 150 days

- To end on the 150th Birthday of the hospital

I’d love to be able to raise at least £150

Who is with me?….