"In 2009, I could not even walk 10 yards", says Dr Surjit Singh Bhalla, when he thinks back to the time before his transplants.
"But King's gave me a new lease on life!"
Only six months after his operation, Surjit completed a sponsored walk across ten London bridges, raising £6,666.66 for King's College Hospital Charity.
And very soon after that, he hiked the sacred Mount Kailash in Tibet, bringing his fundraising total to £8,888.88.
Fundraising in lockdown
Now 10 years on, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Surjit has turned his attention fundraising once again, raising a further £1,111.11 to support our Hospital Heroes.
"I was amongst the high-risk people who had to self-isolate from 23rd March 2020, initially for three months which lasted till 31st July 2020."
Unable to venture out to the park for his daily five mile walk, Surjit began walking laps of his garden. By the end of August, he had completed over 2.3 million steps, 37,295 laps, 1,017 miles. That's further than the distance from Land's End to John O'Groats!
“I have completed this challenge and I ask you help me to raise funds for NHS doctors and nurses at King's College Hospital in London who, not only looked after me, but all those under their care for the last few years."
Organ Donation Week 2020
September 7 to 13th 2020 is Organ Donation Week in the UK. Not only is this an opportunity to raise awareness of organ donation laws in England and the extraordinary life-changing difference organ donation can make, it is an important reminder to speak with your loved ones about your personal donation wishes.
It’s also a chance for us at King's College Hospital Charity to revisit the powerful stories of people, like Surjit, who have come through the doors at King's College Hospital in need of a transplant, including:
- Molly, whose life was saved when her Mum, Fiona, donated part of her healthy liver to her sick daughter
- Liam who decided to name his new liver after his transplant surgeon, Miriam
- The legacy of Elena Betts, whose supporters continue to bring awareness to the importance of organ donation and raise money for the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit