An NHS boss is undertaking a tower block challenge to raise funds for a sensory room for children with sight problems and additional needs.
Chief Finance Officer Lee Bond will run up 13 floors of the tower block at Hull Royal Infirmary on Friday, February 14, to raise money for WISHH, the independent charity supporting Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
Lee is currently training for the London Marathon in April with the aim of raising £10,000 for WISHH to create a sensory room at Hull and East Yorkshire Eye Hospital.
Lee said: “Our tower block is a major landmark in the city so it seems the right thing to do to run up to the top of it as part of training for one of the biggest challenges in the sporting calendar.
“It’ll take a huge amount of effort but I’m certainly up for the challenge.”
The Eye Hospital in Fountain Street looks after 15,000 children each year, providing emergency medical and surgical treatment, monitoring of eye conditions and long-term treatment.
The new sensory room will include light displays and projections, bubble tubes, wall decorations, sensory toys and music to help calm children feeling upset or anxious about their treatment.
It will also help children with conditions such as autism, ADHD or ADD.
Lee has already raised £5,500 towards his target and hopes the tower block challenge will help add to his donations. Staff and visitors will be lining the stairwell to cheer him on and throw spare change in his buckets.
Sue Lockwood, Chair of the WISHH’s Board of Trustees, said: “We are incredibly proud of Lee taking part in this challenge.
“The WISHH Charity supports staff working in our hospitals by providing the ‘added extras’ above and beyond NHS to make a difference to the patients and loved ones our hospitals care for.
“The introduction of a new sensory room will have positive effect on the children and their patients who attend the eye clinic, creating a new magical and calming environment.”
You can make a donation to Lee’s marathon challenge to help fund the sensory room.