Newton Stewart fundraiser, campaigner and author Sammi Wood has once again set herself an astounding challenge, this time in aid of children’s charity Unicef.
Born and brought up in Newton Stewart, Sammi contracted encephalitis and transverse sinus thrombosis at three and a half years old. She spent eight days in a coma, leaving her family worried for her survival. A further four months in hospital followed on that occasion and a lifetime of ongoing medical needs. Sammi was left with a full body left sided weakness and epilepsy. She has significant mobility issues and health concerns and last year published her first book about her experiences, “Given up for Dead”.
As challenging as life can be, Sammi has never let her condition get in her way and devotes her time to raising money for local and national charities. With determination she climbed Cairnsmore of Fleet in 2014, raising almost £3000 for Epilepsy Scotland. Since then she has raised a further £1500 for The Galloway Mountain Rescue and The Alexandra Unit in Dumfries & Galloway Royal Infirmary.
Her new challenge involves fulfilling her lifelong ambition to jump out of an aeroplane! Much to the dismay of mum Linda and dad Graham. Organising this involved a lot of negotiation between Sammi’s medical team and the airfield, but she has now received the all clear to complete a tandem skydive in the early autumn. Till then, she will be undertaking regular physiotherapy exercises to practise for landing!
Every penny counts and if you would like to donate to Sammi’s fundraiser, she has a JustGiving page https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Sammi-Wood23
