A group of students took a chilly plunge in Redcar to support healthcare in Cambodia
Redcar: A group of nursing students recently took a brave dip in the chilly North Sea. They did it to raise funds for healthcare in Cambodia. It was all part of their mission to support a hospital they visited during their placements.
Wearing their Cambodian nursing uniforms, the students held hands as they ran into the cold water. It was a sight to see! They’re really passionate about making a difference.
In Cambodia, there’s a huge shortage of healthcare professionals. The students hope their efforts will not only help the hospital but also shine a light on the healthcare challenges faced globally.
These students had a self-funded nursing placement in Cambodia earlier this year. They spent time at Battambang Provincial Hospital and Roka Referral Hospital, plus they visited local villages and schools.
They saw firsthand the tough conditions healthcare workers deal with. Sophie Wright, a third-year nursing student, shared how eye-opening her experience was. She’s done placements in various hospitals back home, but Cambodia was something else.
Sophie described the hospitals there as overcrowded and lacking privacy. She recalled seeing children born in shared rooms without pain relief. It was heartbreaking to witness families grieving in such busy environments.
After returning to the UK, Sophie felt a wave of emotions. She realized how much she took for granted in her own life. The students have raised over £2,000 so far, thanks to more than 100 donations from their local community.
Sophie was pleasantly surprised by the support. She didn’t expect the donations to keep rolling in, but they did, along with lovely messages from people.
She aims to become a mental health nurse after graduation and was shocked by the differences in mental health care between her placements in the North East and what she saw in Cambodia.
They plan to keep fundraising, with ideas like the Great North Run and the Three Peaks Challenge on the table. If you want to help out, check out their GoFundMe page for the Boxing Day Dip for Cambodia Healthcare.
