A Leicester nurse is fulfilling a “life-long dream” to volunteer at a hospital in Kenya as part of her annual leave from her day job.
Ellie Clarke, who is a Research Nurse at the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), is set to complete a two-week placement at the Msambweni Hospital near Mombasa.
The 37-year-old, from Melton Mowbray, said: “This is always something I’ve always wanted to do. It’s a lifelong dream to be able to visit Africa and give something back. Although I specialise in cardiology research, I also have a lot of experience as a general nurse and I want to use my skills and knowledge offering aid in the third world and helping the team at Msambweni as much as possible.
“In the UK, we’re very lucky that we can walk into any hospital and receive the care and treatment we need. But, in Africa that’s not the case. People are walking miles for medicine, so the least I can do is travel over there to help out.”
Ellie said she has been looking for the right voluntary placement for some time, but when she saw stumbled across on the advert for this role, she knew this was the one for her.
She said: “I got straight on the phone and we made the relevant arrangements. I’m so excited and know that this will be the first of many trips I take.”
Before Ellie can embark upon her trip, she needs to raise important funds which will pay for her plane ticket and extra costs, such as malaria tablets.
“I’m planning on doing a 10K run in Nottingham, which anyone who knows me will find completely unbelievable. I’m well known for not being sporty and I didn’t even own a pair of trainers until I had started training.”
Ellie, who will celebrate her 38th birthday while out there, is due to fly out on Sunday, November 26 and will return on Tuesday, December 12.
Her fundraising run is on Sunday, October 22 at Thoresby Hall and she is hoping to raise £1,000. Anyone who would like to donate can do so by visiting Elaine’s Just Giving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/elaine-clarke-1.
Ends