December Dip Raises Over £6,000

Dr Katie Jerram set out to raise £1,000 in memory of her mum who was so well looked after at Rowans Hospice, and as a way of thanking all her colleagues for their care and compassion, by taking a dip in the sea every day throughout December 2017. However, many of them joined her and helped raise more than six times that amount.

Katie said: “I know from my own experience of working at Rowans how challenging and rewarding it can be to care for patients well at the end of their lives.  And now I have seen first-hand what a difference this level of care can make to both patients and families.  I am so proud of the team I work with, and wanted to say thank you for all they did in caring for Mum and in making such a difficult time a little more bearable for us.”

Katie’s mum who swam in the sea every day over winter one year, just for fun, inspired the idea for the December Dip. Katie thought doing the same would be a good way to remember her and to raise money for this incredibly important cause. It certainly was a challenge with stormy and freezing conditions; every day presented a different challenge. Katie was joined by a total of 98 colleagues and friends over the course of the month, some of whom were afraid of the water, couldn’t swim and swore they would never do this.

Donations continued to come in during January and so, on 31 January 2018, Dr Katie Jerram presented a very large cheque to Rowans Hospice Chief Executive, Ruth White for £6,331.

Ruth White said: “I have watched (via social media) Katie’s inspirational challenge throughout December and how despite what may be an absolute, ‘no’, ‘no’ for the majority of us actually attracted so much support.  This remarkable feat says so much about the team and how they come together to support each other.  In many ways, this typifies those who work at Rowans Hospice as through their support and camaraderie to each other they also manage the sadness of bearing witness to people who are very seriously ill and dying. They are incredible and I am so proud of them all.”

Donations can still be made online at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/katie-reynolds15.