More than 50 people took part in a 13 mile charity walk to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital after a young girl was diagnosed with meningitis.
Rickie and Carly Hicks, from Allerton Road, in Borehamwood, were enjoying a trip to the cinema last year when they noticed their six-month-old daughter Lily began acting vacant with a temperature.
The morning after Lily was covered in spots and within 20 minutes the spots turned into an aggressive rash covering her head to her toes and she was drifting in and out of sleep.
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Luckily her parents responded quick and Lily made a full recovery after spending five days in intensive care in Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Last Sunday the parents decided to walk 13 miles from Barnet General Hospital to Great Ormond Street Hospital to raise money for meningitis.
Mr Hicks said: “The charity walk had a fantastic turn out and ended up with more than 50 people walking with us on the 13 mile journey Lily took in the intensive care ambulance one year ago from Barnet hospital to great Ormond street hospital.
“The participants helped raise an amazing amount of £5,250 for the walk which puts our total up to £18,400 with potentially more to come.
“The donation to Barnet A&E will pay for an information screen the staff have been waiting for to be displayed in the waiting area for patients, PICU at Great Ormond Street will use the money to buy syringe pumps, nursing & cares trolleys and other supplies they need to expand the ward to be able to take in more patients.
“The CATS team were so grateful for what we have done for them and said the donation will be a massive help to them. We were unable to meet East of England as they were pulled away last minute on an emergency but we will reschedule with them - although we are most likely to drive next time rather than walk there.”
Mr Hicks said during the whole walk it rained and everyone was cold and wet but he said it made the journey more challenging.
He said: “Overall it was a great turn out and well worth it. Lily led everyone down Great Ormond Street to meet the teams who saved her life. There was a few emotional tears shed at the end.”
At the end of last year, the family were reunited with the ambulance service who saved Lily’s life and she was described as ‘one of the sickest children they had seen’.
Mr and Mrs Hicks have raised more than £12,000 for charity and will be taking part in a charity sky dive called Jump for Lily's Journey.
To donate, visit: https://fundrazr.com/61AF3a
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