Schoolgirl Takes On Epic Doha To Birmingham Challenge

A Birmingham-school girl completed 4,218.5 miles throughout the month of October to raise money for us. It’s the distance between Doha and Birmingham – the same journey she had to take aged six-months-old, when she was flown from Qatar to our specialist paediatric centre for emergency treatment.

Elizabeth Soffe, now 12, and her family were living in the Middle East when Elizabeth’s cot caught fire after an air conditioning unit malfunctioned. She was severely burned and flown by air ambulance to our hospital, an international centre of excellence for paediatric burns.

Miraculously, Elizabeth survived, but endured months in hospital undergoing complex plastic surgery and reconstruction operations. To date, Elizabeth has received over 100 operations, including reconstruction of her face, arms and hands, skin grafts, releases of skin grafts and laser treatment.

To say thank you for the ongoing care she still receives at our hospital, Elizabeth took on the epic 4,218.5-mile challenge. She called on the public to support her by either sponsoring her or clocking up miles themselves to add to the total – whether that was by running, walking, cycling, skating or even swimming.

This isn’t the first fundraising Elizabeth’s done for us. In 2021 she raised over £200,000 by running the distance of a marathon over 26 days. This phenomenal gift funded a Fractional CO2 Laser for the hospital, which helps to treat patients, like her, with scarring from burns or other trauma. Her incredible efforts also saw her collect the Child of Courage Award at the 2022 Pride of Britain Awards.

Elizabeth said: “I love getting out for a walk or run and I always want to help the hospital that has been a huge part of my life since I was a baby. I’ve loved that so many people are getting involved for a walk or a run, especially people who don’t normally. Helping Birmingham Children’s Hospital is a great excuse to get out and about.”

Annie Eytle, Head of Public undraising at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “Elizabeth is such an impressive young girl. She’s already done so much for our hospital, but she keeps going and we are so thankful. What inspires us the most is that she wants to make the treatment, care and experience we can offer, better for other young patients. We really hope others will get behind her fundraising by donating or getting stuck in themselves.”