Surrey Kim Puts Her Best Foot Forward For Charity

This month sees Remembrance Day marked across the country and this year it is more significant than ever as 2018 marks the centenary of the signing of the armistice. One fit and energetic Surrey resident has been doing her bit in the past 12 months by working up a sweat to raise money for armed forces good cause, the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC) Headley Court based near Epsom.

In the past year, Kim Brenan, 26, from Surrey has been putting her best foot forward and clocking up the miles for the DMRC Headley Court Benevolent Fund. The graduate of the University of the West of England studied sports therapy and rehabilitation before her appointment at DMRC Headley Court.

Kim, describes how she first learnt about life at Headley Court, she says: “Just before I started university, my dad was watching TV and Headley Court was featured – he said: ‘Kim come and look at this!’ and that’s what sparked my interest in Headley Court”

Today, Kim works as an exercise rehabilitation instructor (ERI) at Headley Court and witnesses on a day-to-day basis the demands the centre faces to function effectively. Kim delivers group therapy sessions to complex trauma patients of varied ability and conducts assessments and treats patients one-to-one.

DMRC Headley Court is the UK’s leading and world-renowned military rehabilitation centre, established in 1949 to treat pilots and aircrew. It has since developed in to a tri-service organisation with a weekly patient cohort of up to 140, treating a range of injuries, some of which are significantly life changing.

Each patient has their own story of their journey through rehabilitation, however, they all share one goal with rehabilitation and maximising their potential for their future. For some that may mean sporting and professional achievements, for others it is simply to be able to live independently.

Whilst the public money finances most of DMRC Headley Court’s conventional therapies and medical treatments, Headley Court relies on The DMRC Benevolent Fund to help support holistic, occupational and social integration initiatives and activities that contribute to patients’ successful outcomes.

Kim says: “Without doubt, this fund allows an individual’s full potential to be realised in both return to military service or in preparation for civilian life. The DMRC Benevolent Fund will transition with the team to DMRC Stanford Hall and continue to have a positive impact on our patients and staff.”

Since September last year, Kim alongside colleagues and patients has done her bit for the fund, and as well as raising money, she has raised smiles, in one half-marathon she completed the course singing and dancing complete with a top hat and red blazer, in tribute to 2017 hit movie, The Greatest Showman.

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Kim’s Roll Of Honour

Events in the past 12 months which Kim has participated in:

Bacchus Half Marathon (September 2017)
Reigate Half Marathon (September 2017)
Southampton Half Marathon (April 2018)
Bristol to Bridgewater Cycle/Handcycle (May 2018)
Worthing Cycle (June 2018)
Bacchus Half Marathon (Sept 2018)

Kim’s dad, John feels the same passion for the DMRC Benevolent Fund and has undertaken some of his own self-sufficient cycling challenges in order to raise money, including in 2017, Whitehaven to Headley Court, raising around £1,500, and this year John O’Groats to Land’s End, raising a total of around £4.000.

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For more information about the DMRC Benevolent Fund and how you can donate, visit: www.dmrcbenfund.co.uk

By Jacob White