At just 12 years old, Chloe Hooper, from Rayleigh, sustained a severe spinal injury when she fell from a tree at a scout camp, fracturing her back in four places. Initially taken to a local hospital, Chloe was then referred to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH), where life-changing spinal fusion surgery was performed, involving two rods and eight screws! Thanks to this pioneering treatment and an excellent surgical team, Chloe miraculously made a full recovery and regained the ability to walk. Now, a decade later, she’s running the incredible Big Half in an effort to give back.
Chloe, now 23, has just finished her Masters degree in Physics and is running in support of the hospital that transformed her life. Chloe said “Thanks to their revolutionary work and my exceptional surgeon, I have made a full recovery. I will forever be grateful for their amazing team and the work that they do. They gave me the ability to walk. Without them I do not know where I would be so it is difficult to even quantify. I am super sporty and active so it is difficult to imagine where I would be without them. This is why, 10 years later, I want to fundraise for RNOH Charity so the hospital can continue their incredible work!”
Chloe is inviting her local community to support her fundraising efforts by donating to her incredible cause. Every contribution, no matter the size, will help the hospital continue its vital work for patients facing life-changing injuries and give others the same second chance she was given.
The Big Half is on 7 September.
