A TEENAGER is planning to kayak 100 miles in order to raise money for the hospital which saved her grandad’s life.

Lillie Hogan, 14, of Chalkwell Avenue, in Southend, hopes to raise as much cash as she can by paddling 100 miles along the fast-flowing River Wye in Wales - ten times further than she has ever paddled before.

But the Belfairs Academy student is determined to complete the challenge as a thank you to the Barts Heart Centre, in St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, which treated her grandad James Mitchell when he had a heart attack earlier this year.

She said: “We were at home when my mum got a call saying that my grandad had gone into Queens Hospital.

“We jumped in the car and sat with him for hours; it was the scariest thing ever.

“I didn’t know what to do with myself. It was awful.”

Happily, after being transferred to the heart centre and undergoing a cardiac catheterisation procedure, performed by Dr Roshan Weerackody. Mr Mitchell, 68, of Laurel Avenue, Romford, is on the mend and even met his doctors recently to say thank you.

Lillie, a member of the Chalkwell Lifeguards, will now complete her challenge in July. She said: “I’m really nervous as its quite far but I’m training really hard and am excited to cross the finish line.”

Her mum, Natalie, said: “It’s massive, a huge challenge and we have scheduled lots of safety training including how to resurface after capsizing and how to throw rope around a tree to pull yourself out of the water.”

Mr Mitchell, who will join Lillie for the final mile of her challenge, added: “I can’t thank the staff enough for fixing me and making it possible for me to see Lillie crossing the finish line.

“It’s a bit of a mission for Lillie. But I am tremendously proud of her; she is working really hard and I am so excited for her.”

Donate at justgiving.com/fundraising/Lillie-Mitchell-Hogan?utm_id=27