Calne girl thanks hospital that saved her life (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Calne girl thanks hospital that saved her life

7:47am Wednesday 11th August 2010 in Calne By Alex Winter

Plucky Kat Muscroft is taking part in a sponsored walk, swim, and silence to raise money for the hospital that twice saved her life.

Ms Muscroft, 20, of Oxford Road, Calne, has had five brain operations at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford since January.

She suffers from Arnold Chiari Malformation, which causes the skull to crush the brain. Symptoms include severe headaches, muscle weakness, and nausea.

She said: “I want to do these events for the hospital because they’ve saved my life and the life of my friend Dan Winter, who was hit by a car last May.”

Childhood friend Mr Winter was recently back in the hospital’s intensive care unit after suffering an epileptic fit.

“I nearly died during two of the operations,” said Ms Muscroft. “I was really scared when I found out what was wrong with me and why I had such bad headaches.”

Ms Muscroft also learned she had hydrocephalus, water on the brain, and tachycardia, a rapid heart rate, which led her to pull out of a sponsored bike ride on Sunday.

She has already raised £900 of her £1,000 target and will be joined on her triple test by mum Anita, dad Barry and sister Rebecca Weinling, as well as her niece, step-nieces and her brother-in-law.

“About ten of us are doing the walk, and we’ll all be in fancy dress,” she said. “I’m going as Tinkerbell, my family are pirates and a friend is Noddy.”

Her four-mile walk is on Saturday with her 25-metre swim the next day and a 12-hour silence on Monday.

To sponsor her, email kat070490@aol.com