Mountain mission raises more than £2,000 despite leg and ankle fracture

You’ll often hear the phrase ‘going the extra mile’ when it comes to charity fundraisers.

From taking part in sponsored events and running marathons to being a volunteer or making a donation, at WHH Charity we’re grateful to everyone who supports us in whatever way they can.

However dedicated WHH staff member James Cooper, Specialty Doctor in Orthodontics, went to extreme lengths to help raise funds for our hospital charity as part of the Raising Smiles campaign.

James, along with orthodontics colleagues Ian Edwards, Stephen Porter and Huw Mazey, completed the sunrise walk up Mount Snowdon on 31 August. Unfortunately, as they were about to descend the mountain in rainy, windy and misty conditions, James unexpectedly stumbled over and injured himself.

Consultant Orthodontist Ian said: “At the time James thought he had just badly sprained his ankle and limped all the way down the mountain using some donated walking poles.

“His leg didn't seem to be get much better and after five days he went for an X-ray which revealed that he had broken part of his ankle and fibula. It is great credit to James that he remarkably got down the mountain and still came to work to see patients – he most certainly went the extra mile!”

The team raised a total of £2,390 by walking through the night for the campaign, which aims to secure £44,000 to buy intraoral digital scanners for the Trust’s Orthodontics Department – one for Warrington Hospital and one for Halton Hospital.

Almost £23,000 has been donated to the campaign so far, including a generous donation from the Warrington Hospital League of Friends.

The handheld wireless scanners are already used by many private surgeries, but currently at WHH traditional dental moulds are taken using the thick, sticky substance ‘alginate’ in plastic impression trays, which can be an uncomfortable experience for patients. The digital scanners swiftly scan teeth and gums, providing an immediate 3D impression, which not only improves the patient experience for those needing treatment, but is also far more accurate and better for the environment.

Helen Higginson, Head of Fundraising at WHH Charity, said: “We’re extremely grateful to all the team for going above and beyond and braving the elements to raise such vital funds for our Raising Smiles campaign, and we also wish James a speedy recovery!

“At WHH Charity we raise funds to provide additional comforts, care, items or experiences for the direct benefit of patients beyond which the NHS can provide, so we would like to say a huge thank everyone who has supported the campaign so far.”

To support the appeal go to Raising Smiles Orthodontics Campaign - JustGiving

To find out more about how you can get involved and support the charity, visit the WHH Charity website.

WHH Charity Impact Report 2023-24 – thanks for your support

It’s certainly been another busy year for WHH Charity. With your help we have been able to raise thousands of pounds to support patients and families at Warrington and Halton Hospital, as well as the hard-working departments and staff.

Charity funding can help to improve our patients, staff and volunteers’ overall experience and wellbeing by providing additional equipment, technology or training to support and enhance the hospital environment, care and comfort of those who visit our hospitals.

You can read more about the positive impact the charity has had on patients and staff over the past year in our Impact Report 2023-24.