Injured son's love of sailing inspires yacht race challenge in aid of 'utterly dedicated' Leeds hospital team

Theresia Cadwallader has flown out to Australia, where she will join sailors of all abilities taking part in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

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Together with the Team Dare to Lead crew, she will take part in the fifth leg of the competition and spend the next two months at sea as the fleet travels on to China.

A jeweller and former civil engineer, Theresia had very little experience before she began training for the race - but she was inspired to take on the challenge by her son's love of sailing and the care he received when he was suffered a very severe traumatic brain injury in Leeds in 2010.

Theresia, 60, said: "He was lucky to be treated at the Neuro Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the LGI and they saved his life through their dedication, skill, hard work and willingness to think outside the box.

"He was very ill and had to stay in their care for six weeks until he was stable enough to move to other units - the ward was our home too for those six weeks. After eight months in hospital, he underwent five years’ intensive rehabilitation. He is still improving.

"One of the reasons I am doing the Clipper Race is that I hope I can put the skills I gain to use in getting my son sailing again. And I need a break from helping look after his recovery!"

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Through her efforts, Theresia hopes to raise £39,000 for hospital charity Leeds Cares to help fund an ultrasound system for cranial monitoring on LGI's Ward L6.

"That winter on the ICU was one of the worst we ever experienced - but the team was fantastic," she said.

"Leeds was snowed under but the nurses stayed beyond their shifts until the relief shift came; some walked for over two hours through the snow to get there. They looked after our son, and they looked after us too, they rode the highs and lows with us throughout.

"They were so skilful and used such enormous creativity in saving his life and stabilising him. They were utterly dedicated.

"By fundraising for them, I hope to give them what they need to carry out even more incredible work. It’s also my thank you to them for saving our son’s life. Through this, I hope more lives can be saved."

Theresia flew out to Australia on Friday and is due to set sail on January 18 with Team Dare to Lead on a yacht skippered by Leeds-born Guy Waites.

She said: “It will be very tough, we will go through the Doldrums, crossing the equator, there will be tropical storms and everything that’s thrown at us. It will be very exciting!”

Visit Theresia's fundraising page to make a donation.

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What is the Clipper Race Round the World Yacht Race?

The Clipper Race is billed as one of the biggest challenges of the natural world and an endurance test like no other.

With no previous sailing experience necessary to take part, it is a record-breaking 40,000 nautical mile race around the world on 70ft ocean racing yachts.

The brainchild of Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo non-stop around the world, the event is now in its twelfth edition - the Clipper 2019/20 Race.

It started from London on September 1 last year and the fleet is due to complete its circumnavigation in August 2020.