A woman will be taking the plunge to raise money for a hospital which treated her for a rare condition.

Stephanie Chin, of Hatch End, will be swimming to raise money for St Mark’s Hospital, in Watford Road, where she was treated from the start of December last year.

The money will go to St Mark’s Hospital Foundation which is a charity supporting the work on the site in Harrow which is one of the world’s leading institutions for the treatment of bowel diseases.

the 20-year-old said: while I was being treated at the hospital I found out a lot of people were not aware of the work St Mark’s does. People were always asking me where it was.

“After being treated there and hearing about all the research they are doing I wanted to give something back and raise some money to help.

“All the staff there are brilliant and they really looked after me. I had to spend Christmas and New Year there and they were all so nice. I just want to say thank you.”

After having to take a year out of her medical degree she is now preparing to get in the pool and start training for her challenge of a 2.5km swim in May.

She said: “When I was younger I used to swim a lot but since I got ill I have been able to get back into the pool despite really wanting to.

“I thought I would set myself a challenge and set a distance.

After having only set herself the challenge last week she has already smashed her fundraising target of £2,500 by reaching an incredible £4,295.

She added: “The support I have already received has been fantastic and I'm so grateful to everyone who has donated, but I want to raise even more.”

People can sponsor Miss Chin by going to www.justgiving.com/stephaniechin.