75-year old Perla Gabuya from Bournemouth was a Mental Health Nurse in the community for over 25 years when she found her love for the NHS and for giving back.

Sadly, in 2015, Perla was diagnosed with breast cancer and went on to have a mastectomy. Four years later she also had a craniotomy as her doctors found a tumour in her right ear. This led Perla to lose her hearing in her right ear.

While receiving treatment, she was determined to get herself well enough to go home to continue with her recovery. To do this she set herself the challenge each day to get up and walk just one step further than the day before. It started with just taking steps from her bed to the bathroom, to the end of the ward and so on.

It was from this moment on that her love for walking began. In fact, Perla is organising a 5-mile walk in Hyde Park on Saturday 21 October to raise funds towards Warm chemotherapy after surgery (Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy) to support our patients with advanced ovarian cancer.

Perla said: “I love the NHS and I want to give back. It’s in your heart when you’re a nurse – you just want to help others! So, this year I thought what better way to celebrate my 75th birthday, than to walk for my local hospitals which coincidentally is the 75th birthday of the NHS.”

“After always helping people, I know I can do more to support more nurses like me and more patients like me! I want to do something unforgettable and hope as many people will support me as much as possible.”

Perla’s love for walking has become a passion among so many of her friends who will be walking alongside her around the 5-mile route starting at Hyde Park in London.

SUPPORTER UPDATE

We want to say a HUGE thank you to Perla for raising a fantastic £2,295.72 + Gift Aid by completing her 5-mile charity walk in Hyde Park on Saturday 21 October.