Royal Free Charity | Meeting Bells halfway

Meeting Bells halfway

Chloe’s story

A woman in outdoor trekking grear standing beside a small hut made of bricks and rocks on the top of a misty mountain.
Chloe Paine has raised over £1,000 through a series of challenging fundraising activities in memory of her best friend Arabella. 

Chloe and Arabella grew up and went to school together and shared countless experiences that formed their friendship. ​“Arabella was like a sister to me, fun and kind, stylish and super clever,” Chloe recalls. 

Arabella was initially treated by The Royal Marsden Hospital for cancer and she subsequently underwent a liver transplant at the Royal Free Hospital. 

She completed her A‑levels and prepared to start university, but died before she could begin her studies. 

In Arabella’s memory, Chloe decided to take on two significant challenges to raise money for the Royal Free Hospital: climb three peaks in the UK and do a skydive. 

A woman in outdoor trekking grear standing beside a small hut made of bricks and rocks on the top of a misty mountain.
Chloe completed the Ben Nevis challenge this month 

Chloe explained: ​“Arabella loved walks and beautiful views, so the three big climbs in the UK seemed apt.” At each peak, Chloe plants forget-me-nots in Arabella’s memory, keeping her spirit alive in the places she would have loved. The skydive, on the other hand, is Chloe’s way of meeting Arabella halfway. 

The journey hasn’t been without its obstacles. After undergoing urgent stomach surgery earlier this year, Chloe faced months of recovery, which affected her training for the Ben Nevis climb. Despite these setbacks, her determination remains strong. 

Chloe said: ​“Regardless of my setbacks, I have done the climb, everyone I know, family, friends, neighbours and my work colleagues are all behind me every step of the way. 

I feel that Arabella is with me on each climb. The sun always manages to come out when the forecast seems bleak and the fantastic feeling of accomplishment at the end is so rewarding. It’s great to have her family involved in each of my activities.

For anyone considering taking on a fundraising challenge, Chloe’s message is simple: ​“Just do it! It’s such a rewarding experience, you won’t regret it and you’ll have wonderful memories to look back on. I hope that my story and experience will help others to feel that they too can do something amazing.”