A determined Droitwich woman spent her 50^th birthday on a charity trek in Peru to help wounded military patients at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.

Sue Heath, an RAF reserve and accounts manager at Hampton Manor Hotel in Henley-in-Arden, hiked to the ancient Inca site of Machu Picchu in August 2011.

In doing so, she raised over £2,100 for the hospital’s official charity. This will be used to purchase equipment which isn’t supplied as standard by the NHS and makes a big difference to the rehabilitation of patients.

Sue explained: “When I turned 49 I decided to mark the big 5-0 with a bang and researched the challenges available. I love spending my spare time travelling and going on adventures and I enjoy learning about other cultures and countries. Trekking in Peru caught my eye because it’s something I’ve never done before. Being an RAF reserve I am also passionate about supporting charities which help our servicemen and women. Whilst I wanted to celebrate my birthday in a special way I was also very keen to do something to support the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity and help the fantastic teams which care for our injured troops.”

To prepare for her trek, which she organised through Action Challenge, Sue spent her evenings and weekends walking and going to the gym.

“Despite my preparations it was a tough challenge as the altitude really saps your energy,” said Sue. “However, I was part of a brilliant group and we encouraged each other on. It’s difficult to describe how it felt when we got to the top – our feelings were a real mixture of relief, exhaustion and emotion! Everyone in our group had a different reason for taking part and to finish our challenge together was an unforgettable moment.”

Anne Waller, fundraiser for the charity, added: “A huge thanks to Sue for taking on this amazing challenge to help wounded military patients. Rehabilitation and aftercare are crucial elements of the work of the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, which is based here in Birmingham. Every penny given will make a huge difference to helping our troops on their road to recovery.”

For more information about how you can support patients being treated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham please contact 0121 371 4852 or visit their website.