A care organisation is going to be on a roll when it comes to raising money for an inspirational young woman who suffered terrible burns after a coach crash.
Staff, residents and families from Pendine Park, Wrexham, to be taking part in a sponsored wheelchair walk in aid of Catrin Pugh, 20, who was trapped in a blazing coach in the French Alps last year.
It is part of a series of events by Pendine to raise funds for Catrin, who was given a one in 1,000 chance of pulling through after the smash near the Alpe d’Huez resort left her with 96% burns. She has had skin grafts from her mother, Sara, and brother Robert, and has had over 4,000 staples in her body to hold them in place.
Catrin, from Rossett, who was put into a medically-induced coma for three months and has undergone more than 200 operations, has battled through and has even started skiing again.
The four mile charity event will start from Pendine Park’s Gwern Alyn care home at 2pm on Saturday August 2.
Everyone will make their way to Bellevue Park before returning to Gwern Alyn for a BBQ and live entertainment. It is part of a series of events to raise money for Catrin, including a karaoke and disco night and a summer fete.
The money is going to a special fund to buy equipment to help Catrin get the most out of life.
Gwern Alyn manager Jen Roberts paid tribute to Catrin’s bravery.
She said: “Catrin is such an inspiration to us all – she’s amazing. Everyone’s said that’s she’s been so positive. She’s even started to ski again.
“It’s been a real team effort to put on these events and the rest of the staff, the residents and their families have all got behind it.
“The residents remember the story about Catrin being on the news so when we said that we were going to do something to help her they wanted to be involved.
Catrin has been moved by the support given to her by the community.
She said: “I feel very humbled by the support people have shown me.
“People that I’ve never met know me and it’s really nice that they want to help. Like Jen, I’d never met her before.
“People in the local community have raised over £16,000 for the burns unit where I was treated, which is really nice and wonderful because it helped them buy equipment that helped me and which is now helping other people.
Catrin has come a long way since the crash on April 16 2013.
She said: “I spent eight months in hospital and for three months of that I was in a coma.
“When I got home I couldn’t feed myself on my own, and I couldn’t walk without support.
“I had to wear a special mask all of the time, but now I just wear it at night. It is used to smooth the scars on my skin. I also wear a body suit which does the same thing. It’s a pressure garment, a bit like a wearing a wetsuit but one size too small. It’s really uncomfortable but it has to be tight to push down the scars.
“I lost a lot of muscle mass when I was in the coma, but I’m gaining that back now so I’ll be getting a bigger suit soon. I also had to sleep wearing foot splints, knee splints, elbow splints and hand splints, so I couldn’t move.
“I do physiotherapy four hours a day, four days a week. Things have improved a lot but at the moment I’m still very dependent on people to help me.
“I wasn’t to inspire people who are going through similar situations.”
Catrin’s dad, Carl, has been impressed by his daughter’s determination.
He said: “I would call it stubbornness. There have been some hard times, but throughout all of this she has been determined to be better and normal, and to be honest that has helped me and her mum get through it.
“I’m really pleased that she wants to ski again.”
Gwen Alyn resident Harold Roden, 97, is looking forward to the wheelchair walk.
He said: “It’s a good idea to raise money for Catrin because it is going to help her to have a better life so it’s really worthwhile and I’m going to give it everything.”
