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99-year-old veteran’s $8 million gift to healthcare workers

99-year-old veteran's $8 million gift to healthcare workers. Source: JustGifted/Youtube
99-year-old veteran's $8 million gift to healthcare workers. Source: JustGifted/Youtube

Ninety-nine-year-old English World War II veteran Tom Moore has been walking laps of his back garden – and for good reason.

Moore, or Captain Tom Moore as he goes by on Twitter, wanted to raise money for England’s National Health Service (NHS), which he said had been “marvellous” in helping him recover from skin cancer and a hip replacement. The NHS is now battling mounting coronavirus cases in the UK.

The veteran started a fundraiser on April 10, in which he wanted to raise £1,000 (AU$1962) in exchange for walking 100 laps of his back garden (25 metres in length) before his 100th birthday.

Captain Tom Moore has raised $8 million for the NHS. Source: YouTube
Captain Tom Moore has raised $8 million for the NHS. Source: YouTube

Moore achieved his target of £1,000 in 24 hours, and reached his second goal of £100,000 in two days.

When Moore’s fundraiser hit international headlines, donations ballooned to £250,000 – then soared to £500,000.

So far, Moore has raised a whopping £4,118,671 (AU$8,088,060).

"When you think of who it is all for – all those brave and super doctors and nurses we have got – I think they deserve every penny, and I hope we get some more for them too,” he told the BBC.

“I thank the British public from the bottom of my heart. It’s difficult to imagine all these kind people who have donated so far. It’s just amazing.”

Captain Tom Moore has raised $8 million for the NHS. Source: JustGiving
Captain Tom Moore has raised $8 million for the NHS. Source: JustGiving

The money raised is being donated to NHS Charities Together, which will spend the money on well-being packs for NHS staff, rest and recuperation rooms, electronic devices to enable hospital patients to keep in contact with loved ones, and working with community groups to support patients once they have been discharged from hospitals.

The United Kingdom currently has 93,873 coronavirus cases, with 12,107 deaths as a result of the virus.

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