A Bath nurse is raising money for the hospital where she works after fellow NHS staff helped her son to recover after a near-tragic accident.
In her role as a nurse at the Dyson Centre for Neonatal Care at the Royal United Hospital, Christine Walters has witnessed first hand how important it is to support the Forever Friends Appeal.
The new unit was opened in 2010 after £3 million was raised by supporters of the charity.
However it was almost losing her son James, 17, after an accident last year that spurred her on to help out.
Mrs Walters, from Lower Weston, was overwhelmed by the actions of staff at the Royal United Hospital after he was found on the bottom of the swimming pool at the Combe Grove Manor Hotel with no pulse and not breathing.
She said: "So often we don't hear about the amazing, daily life-saving and life-changing work that goes on with our paramedics, emergency and intensive care services.
"I experienced first hand what I can only call extreme dedication, skill and care of James during the worst week of my life.
"I want to give something back for having James restored to full health.
"All the services offered at the RUH can so frequently be taken for granted until we come face to face with needing them."
Mrs Walters will be taking part in the challenge of a lifetime trekking the Great Wall of China in September to raise money for the appeal's Cancer Care Campaign.
Money will help equip a new cancer centre at the RUH. Mrs Walters also lost both her father and father-in-law to the disease.
She has also worked at Dorothy House hospice, and has seen the effect the disease has on both patients and their family.
Mrs Walters said: "I have gone from caring for people at the end of their life to those at the beginning of their life.
"I felt that now was the time to do something to support the wonderful work that goes on in the RUH.
"I have never done anything like this before."
To support Mrs Walters visit www.doitforcharity. com/cwalters.
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