Abseil Fundraising Spotlight: Zoe Adams
07 March 2022
Zoe is going over the edge of the Pelican Hotel, abseiling 13 floors as part of the Abseil for George’s to raise funds and awareness about the work of St George’s Hospital Charity.
In January 2020 Zoe was admitted to St George’s for a scheduled kidney donation, a routine surgery that went smoothly and she was discharged within four days.
However, two weeks after her donation surgery, Zoe developed appendicitis and with her weakened immune system she struggled to battle the illness. Zoe was brought back into St George’s and had to undergo emergency surgery.
Zoe said: “I woke up in ICU and had not anticipated finding myself here after what I thought would be minor surgery. It transpired that parts of my intestine and various other organs had been damaged by the appendicitis and had to be removed. The infection was very persistent and I stayed in ICU for a week before being moved to a ward for further care.”
Zoe recalls about the various team members within St George’s who all played a part in her outstanding care. The nutritionist who reassured her that her running muscles would come back, the catering team who brought food when she was no longer ‘nil by mouth’, the doctors who explained to her loved ones what was happening step by step and the healthcare assistants who kindly and patiently took her bloods.
In particular Zoe said: “The consultant who said to me ‘yes you can’, in response to my ‘I can’t cope with this’, stands out in my memory.’”
When asked what she would say to those members of staff now Zoe said:
“I suppose the biggest thing I would like to say to the teams who cared for me is thank you for helping me when I was scared, frustrated, in pain: you really see the absolute lowest in people and you look them in the eye and help them, perhaps in ways you don't realise.”
“I'm profoundly grateful for the care that was shown to my loved ones; my illness took us all by surprise and was scarily serious.”
Zoe has now fully recovered and spent the Covid Pandemic and beyond getting back to her full fitness, starting with five minute walks, building up and up to being back at Parkrun every Saturday morning.
Now she is taking on a new challenge in order to give back and say thank you to the staff who cared for her and to raise awareness of the work of St George’s Hospital Charity. Descending 13 floors down the Pelican Hotel overlooking the hospital she spent weeks recovering in,
Zoe said: “I'm supporting St George's Hospital Charity, to say thank you however I can to all the people who kept me here.” Donate to support Zoe.
“I owe my life to St George's Hospital. I'm sure I'm one of countless people who do.”
