Dorset County Hospital Charity raise £100k in Jurassic Challenge

The DCH100 team took part in the Jurassic Coast Challenge, hitting their target of £100,000.

More than 50 participants took up the challenge by walking or running sections of a 100km route from Corfe Castle to Bridport for the Dorset County Hospital Charity.

The DCH100 fundraising effort supports Dorset County Hospital’s (DCH) Emergency and Critical Care Appeal which is raising funds to enhance the new Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit being built on the hospital’s Dorchester site.

A further £4,000 was raised for other wards in the hospital, with more donations expected in the coming weeks.

The team is led by former DCH consultant, Michael Dooley, as he and other participants going the whole stretch of the journey. He covered the distance by walking, completing the challenge in 35 hours.

He said: “It was a true ultra challenge for the body, mind and inner self. The experience reaffirmed to me the importance of teamwork.

“The support staff were phenomenal; their enthusiasm, encouragement, flapjacks, dry clothes, and unwavering assistance throughout the day and night were crucial to our success.

“Fellow walkers continually motivated each other – during those cold, damp and exhausting hours around 4am nothing compares to a friend’s encouraging word to keep you going. It was a genuine team effort for a wonderful cause and everyone involved must be congratulated.”

Also completing the challenge was 85-year-old Peter Down. He said: “I think it was at a chance meeting with fellow team member Rob Acheson last January.

“I was saying how I still enjoyed fairly long walks and he replied - You should do the 100K Jurassic Coast Challenge this year - quite persuasively.  I mentioned it to my neighbours, Robert and Janet, and that was it. Training began.”

Appeal Officer, Mary-Jane Attwood, has been coordinating the DCH100 team over the past five months and was there to encourage the teams as they set off along the route. She said: “The weather on Saturday made the challenge even harder, with a deluge of torrential rain in the evening before their long overnight haul.

“We have nothing but total respect and admiration for the sheer tenacity of our participants, all of whom put their personal lives on hold to train for and complete this ultra challenge. The amount raised will make a huge difference to the Appeal and to all the people who will be treated in the new Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit. Our sincere thanks go to all the amazing participants.”

Father and son team Daniel and Dillon O’Brien completed the 100km distance after Dillon was treated for sepsis at DCH last December, and was very seriously ill.

Head of Charity, Simon Pearson said: “This is an extraordinary achievement by all who took part, both in terms of the challenge and the amount of funding raised.

“Dillon’s resilience exemplifies this determination to get through this challenge and has been an inspiration to us all. It was great to see both Dillon and Daniel so positive as they crossed the finish line after their epic 100km walk.”

Others taking part included DCH staff Duncan Chambler and Sophie Webber, running the 25km Corfe Loo), and Phil Wylie, Rachel Wharton and her husband Peter, who completed 58km from Corfe to Weymouth, with Rachel in her scrubs.

The Radioactive Ramblers, three radiographers, took on the full 100 km distance, and Team Minerva, led by DCH Governor Kathryn Harrison, completed the 25km Corfe route.

The largest staff team of 14 came from the DCH Strategic Estates team with members completing the 34km run from Corfe to Weymouth and also the 10km Bridport loop.

To support all the teams and raise more funds for the Emergency and Critical Care Appeal, visit www.justgiving.com/campaign/dch100

To find out more about the Appeal, visit www.dchcharity.org.uk

If you would like to take part in a fundraising challenge for Dorset County Hospital email charity@dchft.nhs.uk