L-R: Jennifer Benyon-Tinker and Kat Hanouskova
This weekend two women are facing their fears to abseil down a 165-metre building, with the aim of raising funds for Princess Alice Hospice in Esher, Surrey.
Kat Hanouskova is a palliative care doctor at the hospice, while retiree Jennifer Benyon-Tinker has worked in IT in various capacities and as a carer for people with learning difficulties for four years.
The women will abseil down the Broadgate Tower in London on September 15 to raise money for Princess Alice Hospice.
Abseiling is completely unheard of in Kat’s home country the Czech Republic, where she will return in two months’ time. “People will maybe run a marathon for charity – but challenges such as this, or skydiving, are just not part of the culture,” she said. “It’s difficult getting the message across of just exactly what I’m doing – and why!” she added.
Kat, a mum of two young children, is facing her fear of abseiling because she has so enjoyed working at the hospice during the past year and wanted to mark that with something special. She said: “One of the reasons I’ve decided to do this is that I really like the idea of this very ‘challenging challenge’ and that feelings I will have (hopefully after I complete it) will be connected to Princess Alice forever.”
Jennifer has always tended to support charities linked to cancer, and first abseiled 20 years ago off the Fujitsu building in Bracknell, then in a Guinness World Record event at Twickenham Stadium in 2006. She is doing the challenge in memory of her close friend Nina, and as a tribute to her brother, Christopher Whitwell, who died very unexpectedly in July.
She said: “In some respects it is often harder for the family and friends than the person with cancer and places like the Princess Alice Hospice allow people to die with dignity as well as offering the loved ones counselling and support.”
What the two women have in common is their trepidation about the event. “I am scared of heights and do not enjoy abseiling but feel I should do something that makes me face up to my fears” Jennifer says on her JustGiving page. I hope the guys up the top don’t tell me not to look down or I might push them over the edge! Look down – don’t they realise that if I looked down I would stay at the top for ever?”
Kat did some abseiling and skydiving some years ago in the Antipodes and said: “I was always afraid of heights if I wasn’t attached to anything and I would say it is getting worse. I was always first on all sorts of rollercoasters but actually, not that much anymore.
“I have this completely mixed feeling about the abseil. I am very excited but petrified at the same time. Looking forward? Definitely. Worried that I will freeze? Yes indeed.
For more information visit Princess Alice Hospice
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