We’ve all had excuses for being unproductive during the COVID-19 quarantine era. We’re tired, or emotional, or burned out, or just not in the mood. Well, Captain Tom Moore of Bedfordshire, England has just put us all to shame. The 99-year-old WWII veteran has raised over $2.8 million for Britains’ National Health Service in just the last 4 days. And that tally has been absolutely skyrocketing in the last 24 hours.
On April 9, Moore launched a JustGiving fundraising page and announced that he would walk 100 lengths of his 25-meter-long garden in order to raise £1,000 ($1,259 USD). His goal is to complete the task before he turns 100 years old at the end of April. With the aid of a walker, he intends to walk 10 lengths per day.
Donors smashed the £1,000 target within the first day. So Tom raised the goal to £100,000. That amount was shattered the next day. He raised the target to $250,000, then $500,000. Moore and his fundraising team have not been able to adjust the target fast enough to keep up with the pace of donations. Employing the hashtags #WalkWithTom and #TomorrowWillBeAGoodDay, Moore has cheered on the effort via his Twitter feed.
Over 100,000 of you have donated to the NHS – I salute you all. Thanks for joining me on this mission for our heroes at this very challenging and saddening time in the world. We stand united!
Captain Tom Moore, international hero
Contributions to Moore’s campaign are pouring in from all over the world. The funds go directly to NHS Charities Together, which supports NHS staff, volunteers and patients. The organization provides resources such as well-being packs, and pays for accommodations, travel, parking and other expenses that its beneficiaries may incur. It will also provide funding for long-term mental health and rehabilitation programs once the pandemic is over.
The NHS is the publicly-funded healthcare system of the United Kingdom. Established in 1948, it provides a comprehensive range of health services, free at the point of use for residents of the UK. Upon his release from hospital on Easter Day, Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivered an emotional address heralding the NHS and profusely thanking its staff for saving his life and for the heroic services they are providing during the pandemic.