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A family from Tonbridge has paid tribute to Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust for caring for a family member they lost back in 2007, by climbing Mount Snowdon and raising almost £7,000 for charity in his memory.

Daniel Strawson died of a brain tumour in 2007 aged just 11 months after being cared for by staff at the Trust. On what would have been the year of his 10th birthday, his parents, Susannah and Richard, brother Thomas and sisters Hannah, Lydia and Faith along with friends and other members of the family, took on the challenge in North Wales.

Settings themselves the target of raising £1,000 for six different charities including the Trust as well as The Salvation Army and Demelza, the family exceeded their target, despite winds of 50mph and torrential rain, to complete their challenge last August.

The family then returned to the Trust on 3 January to donate a variety of multi-sensory equipment for use by children undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Daniel’s mother, Susannah Strawson, said: “It was exhilarating, satisfying, a bit emotional and a huge relief once all of us had made it through the café door! “We were always so impressed with Daniel’s care.

The playroom in particular was a great space for us to be as a family. The staff were available during the ups and downs, Daniel was at Pembury for a few days before diagnosis and those days were very stressful, not knowing why our baby was so poorly.

“The care during that time was amazing, the tests and help to get the bottom of Daniel’s symptoms so quickly. Then once Daniel was stable following surgery we were back at Pembury in transition before bringing Daniel home. Again the help and support we received to help us make that transition was brilliant and even once we brought Daniel home we were able to pop back in during the evenings if we were worried about him or needed advice.”