Teen completes hospital abseil after knee surgery

A teenager from Dover has abseiled down St Thomas' Hospital in London following a successful surgery that corrected a rare knee condition.

Lacey Ward, 18, was diagnosed with miserable malalignment syndrome (MMS) at 14, and underwent three surgeries at the Evelina London Children's Hospital to treat it.

After completing the 160ft (48.77m) descent on Saturday when she raised £600 for the children's hospital charity, Ward said that despite being nervous, she was glad she completed it.

"Afterwards I felt very proud of myself as I pushed through my fear and completed it. It was very high and I didn't think I could do it but I'm so glad I did," she said.

Ward started experiencing pain in her knee when she was five, and was only diagnosed with MMS nine years later.

She had procedures between 2024 and 2026, and her younger brother has also had treatment from the Evelina for MMS.

"The care from Evelina is amazing. They got me through my diagnosis when I thought nobody was able to help me," the 18-year-old said.

The money she was raised from the abseil, which was double her original target, will be used to help fund research, therapeutic play and family support at the hospital, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust said.

Ward said: "The views were absolutely amazing, I really enjoyed it and would definitely do this again next year!"

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