Gemma has raised an incredible £3,590 at the time of writing, blowing past her original goal of £2,500. Gemma, who is a member of the play team at the Richard Desmond Children’s Eye Centre (RDCEC) at Moorfields Eye Hospital, decided to take on the challenge in order to fund new iPads for the team to use with young patients, both to help distract them during a stressful time and to help prepare them for procedures and surgeries.

The young patients at Moorfields often have visual impairments, so they need items adapted to their needs, such as iPads with large-screen displays and accessibility features like zoom, voiceover and contrasting colours, to make sure as many children as possible can benefit from them. The team also need communication board and typing apps so that children who are non-verbal or deaf can have a voice during their time in hospital.

The money Gemma has raised will allow the Friends of Moorfields to continue to support play and wellbeing at the RDCEC. Play is vital to children’s positive experience of healthcare, reducing the anxiety, fear and stress of being in hospital and mitigating the pain and trauma of treatment. For this reason, the Friends of Moorfields fund the salaries of 2.5 Health Play Specialists at Moorfields, as well as providing grants for some of the play team’s projects.

Gemma and her cousin and guide runner Chloe completed the Big Half – which weaves through London from Tower Bridge to the iconic Cutty Sark in Greenwich – in just under two and a half hours.