A healthcare assistant has set herself a fitness challenge to raise money for iPads, toys and care packages for patients facing stays in hospital throughout the pandemic.

Gemma Jordan has been working in the Sea Bathing Ward at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital (QEQM) in Margate for two years.

The 37-year-old from Broadstairs has seen first hand just how difficult the pandemic has been for her patients, particularly those living with dementia who have been unable to see loved ones.

To make their stay more comfortable, Miss Jordan hopes to raise £5,000 for East Kent Hospitals Charity to pay for iPads so patients can keep in touch with their families.

To reach the goal, she will be taking on the RISE Challenge throughout March which stands for run, inchworm, squat and elbow.

She will be running 100 miles, completing 280 inchworms, 3,000 squats and 1,800 seconds of elbow planks.

Miss Jordan said: "I'm not the fittest person so this is going to be an extremely hard challenge for me. I only started training about a month ago and I thought 'why not do it to raise money for work?'.

"With Covid limiting visitors it can be extremely distressing for patients with dementia because they're not always able to see familiar faces so I'm hoping the iPads can help with that.

"We want to be the best we can be and make sure that our patients are cared for to the highest standard and feel welcome when on our wards.

"I am also raising money to make sure that every child that is admitted to the Rainbow Ward gets a toy.

"At the moment we are unable to keep toys for them to play but we can raise money so they can have a toy that will be theirs to keep and take home when they are better."

Miss Jordan also hopes to fund care packages full of activities, books and photos to help people living with dementia who may become confused or distressed on the wards.

To donate to the challenge click here.

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