Cold comfort earns prestigious award
December 2005
Fourth-year medical student Suzy Stokes has been awarded the second-ever University Service Medal for her kindness to a stranger she met on Kilimanjaro.
Suzy - currently on clinical placement at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire in Newcastle-under-Lyme - was part of a ‘project holiday’ to climb Kilimanjaro and gather physiological data on Acute Mountain Sickness. With friends Ian Tyrell-Marsh, Nick Kalson, Adam Whitehead, Mark Earl, Hannah Frost and team leader Andrew Davies she interviewed and examined around 300 fellow climbers, under the team name Manchester Acute Research Society or MARS.
Australian climber Craig Burton was so moved by their kindness and Suzy’s selfless offers of help that he wrote to the Dean of the School of Medicine, Professor Andrew Garner, upon his return, saying: “I met the team on my way up, and they were so friendly and helpful I felt an immediate bond with their project.
“They went out of their way to respond to my questions and fears about the climb, and – noticing that I was suffering from extreme cold despite wearing all the clothes I had with me – Suzy offered me her own gloves, parker and ski goggles.Suzy surrounded by her team mates at the summit
“I have never before met a group of people so caring and considerate of those around them. I commend Manchester Medical School for their training of these future doctors, whose manner and generosity will make them first class. Thanks to their help I made it to the summit at 04.45 the next morning.”
Professor Garner was so impressed that he recommended Suzy for one of the prestigious University Service Medals, awarded for exceptional service to the University or community. He said: “It is extremely gratifying to hear that our students are such good ambassadors for Manchester School of Medicine – Suzy and the team should be very proud of the impression they have created.”
Suzy said: “I am honoured to receive this medal on behalf of the whole MARS team, every member of which contributed to the expedition’s success. I am proud to represent the University here in Manchester and around the world.”
