Local people are being invited to sponsor a team who are raising funds to help those with brain injuries.

The Dorset Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) team at University Hospitals Dorset are hoping to raise £1 for every kilometre they have covered as they travelled virtually the 1,743km from Land’s End to John O’Groats. All donations will help them to provide their patients with activities and experiences that will further their recovery and make their stay on the unit as enjoyable as possible.

The team and their patients have covered and exceeded the kilometres by running, cycling, walking, and swimming whilst patients completed their distances in therapy sessions on a static cycling device called a MotoMed. They have covered a distance of 1,942.61km in three months.

The ABI unit provides specialist rehabilitation for patients from across the region who have suffered a brain injury such as a severe stroke. The money raised in this challenge will enhance each patient’s stay on the ward through trips out, music therapy and supplies for activity groups such as crafts and ingredients for cooking. The opportunity to use these resources greatly improves the patient’s experience during their stay in hospital as well as their quality of life and that of their families. The activities also further patient rehabilitation and, alongside therapy sessions, help to prepare them for life outside of the ward.

Patient Hayden said: “On 29 April last year, I suffered a Brain Stem Stroke which rendered me completely paralysed except for my eyes. I underwent intensive therapy with the help of staff on the Portland Ward at Poole Hospital. In house therapists helped me to learn to walk, talk and eat again and after around eight months I was ready for discharge. I have been able to contribute towards the therapy team’s fundraising effort on behalf of the ward which has done so much for me.”

Speech and Language therapist Genevieve Huntley and physiotherapist Kate Osborne said: “Our dedicated team of therapists from the Dorset Acquired Brain Injury Service are raising money to supplement rehabilitation opportunities, which will benefit the complex needs of the patients in our service. We hope to use the money to increase wellbeing during lengthy admissions and to enable patients to have enjoyable experiences that also further their recovery.”

You can donate to help the team achieve their fundraising target by following this link https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/abi-fundraiser