NHS director walking from London to Greenham Common for charity

Dr Nikki Kanani is raising money for Doctors of the World

A RENOWNED GP is donning her walking shoes to trek from London to Greenham Common to raise funds and awareness for Doctors of the World and their work with refugees.

Dr Nikki Kanani – who is NHS England’s director of primary care, the first woman to hold the role – is walking the 60-mile route from tomorrow (Friday) until Sunday.

Dr Kanani was initially signed up to run the London Marathon – originally scheduled for April 26 but postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Instead, the Sunday portion of Dr Kanani’s 60-mile walk will be her virtual marathon – the same day as this year’s rescheduled London Marathon, which is now an elite-only race.

Dr Kanani’s route was inspired by her father, who was one of 55,000 Ugandan Asians forced to flee the persecution of the country’s military dictatorship – arriving in the UK in 1972.

He spent six months in a refugee camp at Greenham Common, which is where Dr Kanani will end her walk on Sunday.

On why she has chosen to support Doctors of the World and refugees, Dr Kanani said: “Access to our health services for excluded groups, such as refugees and migrants, is often challenging.

“For this reason I am proud to walk my own version of the London Marathon and raise money for Doctors of the World.

“They also strive to give a voice to the most marginalised, reporting on violence, injustice and unmet health needs wherever they find them.

“Their vision is a world without barriers to health, where healthcare is recognised as a fundamental right.

“I could not be more proud to run for them, so please give whatever you can afford to.”

Dr Kanani has already raised more than £10,000 of her £12,000 target.

To donate to her cause, visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/drnikki.

Doctors of the World UK is part of the Médecins du Monde international network, an independent humanitarian movement.