This year on June 30th it will be 20 years since I was in a major accident. For anyone who doesn’t know, I was out celebrating a friend’s birthday, whist in Israel on my year off in Sem, when there was a power cut. The staff there put tea-lights on the floor for people to see. The lights then came back on, but the tea-lights were left on the floor. I was wearing a long flowy skirt and the very flammable material brushed past one of the flames. This immediately caught on fire and within seconds my whole skirt was on fire. This led to me being in hospital, Hadassah Ein Kerem, in Israel for over 8 weeks and then being in and out of hospital in Wythenshawe for another 8 months.

I was very fortunate to have an amazing loving family who came straight out to support me and so many friends who rallied round, staying overnight, bringing me things to cheer me up and understanding when I just wasn’t up for a visit.

I don’t think I have every properly thanked everyone. Mum and Dad, I cannot imagine how it felt to get that phone call. With Dalia (my eldest daughter) just about to go on tour, I can now just about appreciate how it feels to have your children so far away from you and for something terrible to happen must have been so awful. Thank you for stopping everything to support me and care for me through that difficult time. I am often asked if I have any lasting trauma, and I can honestly say I don’t. That is because you made sure I got all the care, both physically and emotionally, that I needed.

Baruch Hashem, not only did I have an amazing family around me then, now 20 years later I have the most amazing family around me now and I am so proud that we are all taking part in the Maccabi Fun Run.

I really wanted to mark 20 years in some way and I have chosen to run 5K to raise money for Hadassah Ein Kerem, the hospital which nursed me back to health. Sammy will be running 10K, Shoshana and Shifra 5K, Avi 1K and Dalia will be sitting on the beach in Bournemouth, but she has just finished her GCSE's. We will also be joined by Grandma Andrea, Grandpa Ralph, Grandma Helen and Grandpa Tony who will be taking part in all different ways.

Since October 7th, every time I see numbers of people injured, or hostages released, I think of what that truly means for them. They will need to spend time in hospitals like Hadassah Ein Kerem which will bring them back to themselves again, with their dedicated team, incredible work ethic and expertise. Please help me raise money as a thank you from me to them.