A SEVEN-year-old Williton schoolgirl who was in and out of hospital for several months last year has raised £415 through a sponsored swim in aid of new beds and refurbishment for the ward she was in.
Rebecca Cottrell, a pupil at St Peter’s First School in Williton, decided all by herself to undertake the challenge.
She swam 60 lengths at St Audries Pool, with the encouragement and support of Otters swimming club where she is a member.
Now Rebecca has handed in the money she raised to staff at Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, and met up with the nurses who helped look after her.
“I thought I should do it because they made me better and I hadn’t done anything to help,” said Rebecca.
She was taken into hospital with Henoch-Schonlein Purpura (HSP), a disease involving inflammation of small blood vessels that most commonly occurs in children, and caused a meningitis-like rash.
The virus attacks the body and at some stages Rebecca could not even walk, and was in and out of hospital until finally being signed off just before Christmas.
Friends, family and school staff sponsored Rebecca when she swam the 60 lengths in an hour, just stopping now and then for a drink.
“I love swimming – I don’t use armbands or anything.
“I didn’t go to bed that night until nine, I was so excited,” she said.