Palmerston North Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Flight Nurse xxx
recently took part in the annual Great Wall of China Marathon and used the
event to raise money for motorcycle accident victim Sonya yyy.

Sonya was involved in a motorcycle accident in October last year and is still
in rehabilitation from the accident.

In her lifetime Sonya has had 158 foster children through her house and still
has two living with her. Sonya's husband Robert also has a disability.

Sonya's house was in desperate need of a paint job so xxx made it her mission
to raise enough money to get the house painted.

xxx has been amazed with the response from members of the public.

Her appeal has managed to raise over $7000 and businesses and members of the
public have come on board to get Sonya's house painted.

Two weekends ago a group of people including xxx painted the house.

"We had a painter give his time for free, the water blasting and scaffolding
was free and local businesses supplied the paint and food for the workers for
free."

She says people really got behind the appeal and because of the generosity
Sonya's appeal account has over $7000 in it and the house has already been
painted.

xxx says the Great Wall of China Marathon was fantastic.

"It was really good fun and an awesome way to see China."

She says the marathon took her 6 hours and 13 minutes and she finished 57th out
of 127 entrants.

Because of the number of steps in the marathon (approx 3500) organisers tell
the competitors to allow half as much time again for the run.

"Climbing five flights of steps at work each day must have helped me prepare
because I found the stairs quite easy."

During the run xxx drank 10 500ml bottles of water as well as a couple of
energy drinks but she says she felt 'good' afterwards."

She says while she enjoyed the experience she doesn't think she will do it
again.

"I think it's a once off thing. It was pretty remarkable. It felt like it was a
huge achievement but I guess anyone can do it if they put their mind to it."

xxx would like to thank everyone who has contributed to Sonya's appeal account.

The Sonya yyy appeal account is still open and donations can be made at zzz.