A MORPETH teenager is heading to one of the remotest parts of the world to put her medical training into practice this summer.
Along with other students from the University of Bristol, Maria Jinks will fly out to Nepal and trek for two days in the Himalayas to reach a rural mountain area so they can set up a clinic for 10 days.
The former King Edward VI School pupil has already started her fund-raising activities for the trip, such as cake sales and bag packs, as she needs to collect £1,500 and she is considering taking on the Three Peaks Challenge.
The mixture of medicine and dentistry students signed up for the experience, provided by Moving Mountains Trust, after it was recommended by a group from the university that did it last year.
Maria said: “I’m really excited about going on the trip. The clinic will be overseen by a Nepalese doctor but we will be treating people and it will be great to help those who would usually have to walk for days to get to the nearest medical facilities.
“We’re staying in villages with families, so we will be fully immersed in the culture out there and I’m also looking forward to seeing the amazing scenery.
“I’m grateful to the KEVI School Council for giving me a donation and I will be doing an assembly at Chantry Middle School in April.”
The 19-year-old was accepted onto her medicine course after achieving all A grades in her A-Levels (biology, chemistry and maths) last summer.
She has battled back from a spinal tumour, which was diagnosed in 2008. She will have her final hospital appointment later this year and hopes she will then be discharged from her consultant.
To make a donation to Maria, visit mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/mariajinks
The long-term aim of Moving Mountains Trust is to set up a permanent medical clinic by training up and employing local people.