I was stunned to read in This Is Surrey Today that the family of a young Surrey man injured in Columbia face a bill of £90,000 to fly him home.
Dan Eley, 32, has spent years as a volunteer helping street kids in South America, but was tragically paralysed in a swimming accident at New Year.
His family, some from The Plough in Coldharbour, are frantically raising the money to ship their lad home, and although it's a little outside the immediate area for Redhill and Reigate, I felt compelled to help raise awareness of their efforts.
Their most recent fundraising event was supported by Virginia McKenna OBE, star of the 1966 film Born Free and founder of the Born Free Foundation.
She speaks highly of Dan, and the tragic irony that someone so giving should suffer such terrible injuries.
The full story can be read on the This Is Surrey Today website, and anyone wanting more information on supporting the fundraising efforts should visit: www.justgiving.com/Casa-Alianza-Emergency
The tributes on the Just Giving website so that Dan is truly inspirational to loads of people, many of whom don't even know him personally.
Along with everyone else, I wish Dan's family all the best with raising the money to bring him home, and hope he eventually makes a full recovery. Good luck Dan.
Katrina
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Katrina is a freelance writer and photographer with The Little White Studio.