A member of staff at Royal Lancaster Infirmary is running the Edinburgh Marathon this weekend in aid of Bay Hospitals Charity. 

Integrated Community Stroke Team Lead Tamsin Kind (pictured) is raising funds to buy a Sliding Top Tilt Table for patients on the hospital's Huggett Suite. 

The equipment is used to support rehabilitation of stroke patients.  

Tamsin said: "I have worked as a physiotherapist in the Stroke Team at the RLI since 2014 and love working with our patients and their carers to help rebuild their lives after what is often a sudden and devastating event in their lives.  

"Giving them an environment where they can easily get on with their rehabilitation, taking control of it and managing to do enough repetitions to build new pathways in the brain is hugely important in terms of them being able to reach their potential for recovery and returning to their home as soon as possible. 

“I have never run a marathon before and am finding the training really hard. I had no idea how much physical and mental effort I was letting myself in for, but knowing that I can hopefully raise some money towards something that will benefit so many patients makes it more than worthwhile.” 

Bay Hospitals Charity funds the latest equipment for University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust to help make patients more comfortable and ensure they get the best possible care and treatment. 

Head of Charities and Fundraising Suzanne Lofthouse said: “Everyone at Bay Hospitals Charity is so grateful to Tamsin, and wishes her good luck for this fantastic fundraising challenge. 

“It’s so inspiring to see the amount of determination that Tamsin has shown in her training to get the best for the patients she cares for.” 

Last week UHMBT officially opened its new stroke rehabilitation and therapy space in the hospital’s Huggett suite, offering a range of gym-style equipment and other facilities to support stroke patients in their recovery. 

Among the equipment in use in the new space is a Saebo arm support system funded by Bay Hospitals Charity to help patients regain arm and shoulder strength. 

Sponsor Tamsin on her fundraising page: https://www.bayhospitalscharity.org/fundraisers/enabling-stroke-patients-to-exercise-independently-at-the-royal-lancaster-infirmary