Parents Sophie and Daniel Rix will be joining hundreds of participants in taking on the Walkie Talkie Tower Climb event to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity this weekend.
For the second year, the charity is hosting a ‘race to the top’ at one of the tallest buildings in the City.
Sophie and Daniel will be taking part in the fundraiser to support Great Ormond Street Hospital, where their son Henry is currently being treated.
Henry was born with a very rare condition known as a Lymphatic Malformation, an abnormality which causes cysts in his lymphatic system, leading to swelling on one side of his face.
He was diagnosed at just two days old following an MRI scan and has been receiving treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital since he was six weeks old.
Sophie and Daniel will be climbing over 800 steps across 36 floors on 2 March to reach the top of the Walkie Talkie Building where they’ll be joining finishers at the vibrant Sky Garden, 160m above ground, for a rewarding 360-degree view of London.
Reaching the summit will be extra special for Sophie and Daniel as they’ll also be marking Henry’s first birthday in a place which holds special memories for them both.
Sophie said: “Henry will be a year old on the day of the Tower Climb and the Sky Garden is also where we got engaged. It’s too good to be true, the location and the date.
“We are so grateful to GOSH and wanted to give something back to the hospital which is why we signed up to this challenge.
“We are really lucky Henry’s condition isn’t life threatening but I know this isn’t always the case for other children at GOSH so I want to do what I can to help fundraise for the charity, particularly with regards to funding areas such as research. I work in clinical trials myself, so I know how important research is.
“We have raised almost £1,500 between us. The target was £250, and I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to get that much, but within 24 hours I had already hit it. Thank you to everyone who has donated, it means so much and will definitely help us in reaching the top.”
Money raised will go towards the hospital’s most urgent fundraising needs. These include pioneering research to find treatments for the most complex childhood illnesses, providing advanced equipment and supporting the refurbishment of the hospital to provide state-of-the-art facilities to match the hospital’s world-class care.
Laura Savory, head of community fundraising at Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, said: “We’re so grateful to Sophie, Daniel and all our Tower Climb heroes for taking on this challenge as they sprint to the summit to raise money for a fantastic cause.
“We look forward to welcoming all our supporters on Saturday at the Walkie Talkie Building, it’s not too late to sign up and join us. Every penny raised will make a real difference to children at Great Ormond Street Hospital.”
The event is proudly sponsored by Delta Air Lines and supported by Rothesay Life. Entry prices are £25 for adults and the event is open to anyone aged 16 years old and above.
Registrations for the event are open until midday on 1 March. For more information visit gosh.org/towerclimb or contact the charity’s Walkie-Talkie Tower Climb team on [email protected] or 020 8341 3270.
