Former patient at Northampton mental health hospital about to finish month-long 250km running challenge

A former Northampton mental health hospital patient who now has ‘high hopes’ for her future has nearly completed a challenge, which involved running more than 250km in a month.

Emma Gamble was discharged from the hospital in June 2021 after being a patient for two-and-a-half years.

After much dedication and support from Emma herself and also staff from within the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), she is now in sixth form, studying maths, psychology and biology, as she wants to become a paramedic.

Now the youngster wants to thank the hospital by raising money for them via her running challenge.

The 17-year-old, said: “I was in a couple of hospitals before I was admitted to St Andrew’s.

“I feel like the staff at St Andrew’s really helped make a difference and now I’ve got high hopes for my future.

“I decided I wanted to give something back, so my running challenge to raise money is my way of saying ‘thank you’.”

Emma has set out to complete this challenge by running more than 8km a day, every day, throughout the month of January, which will eventually total the same distance her parents travelled each time they went to visit her in hospital.

She added: “My target is £500 and I’m hoping the money can be used to give patients more support at the weekends.

“When I was at St Andrew’s we’d all get bored on the weekend when the occupational therapy teams weren’t in.

“It’s hard being away from home and being in hospital, so I thought the money I raise could be used to fund activities the patients may want to do at the weekend, like baking and colouring.”

Both Emma’s parents are supporting their daughter who is determined to complete this epic challenge.

Her dad, Mark, said: “It was heart-breaking when Emma was first admitted to hospital. It was very difficult for the whole family but we always kept in touch and visited her every week.

“It was a great relief when she was well enough to be discharged and we’re so, so proud of her.

“She’s persisted through it all and she’s doing so well. It hasn’t always been straightforward though and we’ve had a few setbacks, but Emma has dealt with it.”

Donations can be made to Emma’s cause on her GoFundMe page here.