Doctor dives in for Norfolk-based hospice charity 

Dr Frederika Collins is attempting a sponsored swim on Wednesday for Norfolk-based charity Hospice Ethiopia UK before heading out to Addis Ababa, where she will volunteer with the charity.

Hospice Ethiopia UK was set up by Sue Mumford from north Norfolk to support a sister charity in Addis Ababa established in 2003 by Tsigerada YisfaWessen, an Ethiopian nurse. The Addis charity provides palliative care to patients in their own homes, who are living with terminal diagnoses. It also fulfils a vital role in delivering palliative care training to local healthcare professionals.

Hospice Ethiopia is particularly in need of funds at the moment because of the rise in food prices in East Africa caused by the war in Ukraine and the resulting lack of grain imports. One of the roles of the charity is to provide food for people who are no longer able to support themselves due to growing weakness caused by a terminal illness. 
 
“On Wednesday August 24 I shall be swimming the 1km between Brighton's two piers,” writes Dr Collins “(a Herculean distance I'm sure you'll all agree). Claire will be following me closely on a paddle board, as my ever-reliable support boat - ready with re-hydration salts, spare goggles and a large megaphone for blaring out motivational slogans.”
 
Fredrika is an internal medicine trainee in Brighton, exploring a career in palliative care. In September she is moving to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to work for a year as a teaching fellow within the internal medicine department of Addis Ababa University. During this time she will also be volunteering for Hospice Ethiopia, by working clinically in their Day Care, Outpatients, and Home care programmes and assisting with education and training.

You can sponsor her fundraising effort for Hospice Ethiopia UK here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/fredrika

Pictured above is Dr Frederika Collins