A woman with a lifelong fear of spiders has faced it head-on with an unusual fundraising challenge.
After realising her fear was affecting the whole family, Sarah Boden from Bournville in Birmingham decided to brave an exposure therapy course at London Zoo to help her overcome it.
And she decided to ask people to sponsor her to make sure she committed to the challenge – while also raising money for Birmingham Hospice, where she volunteers at charity events.
Sarah told us: “I had to get something done about my phobia. It was becoming unbearable for me, my son and partner, because I was just screaming so loudly every time I saw a spider. I wouldn’t have windows open.
“I just suffered – I couldn’t be in the same room, and I would check rooms all the time for webs. I’ve had to ask neighbours before to get them out.”
A former nurse herself, Sarah had been inspired to support the hospice after her friends were cared for there.
To start with, she tried EMDR therapy, where her eye movements were tracked while being shown images of spiders.
“I noticed that did help reduce it. And then I thought of signing up for the course and thought, ‘I wonder if I could raise money for charity.’ I’m going to do something really brave. People do things like skydiving – so why not?
“People are willing to dig deep when it’s something that’s unique, and this is something that helps me in my life while also helping the hospice. It’s a real win win!”
The course at London Zoo involved talks from a spider expert and a therapist, and a hypnosis session before the crucial moment, when Sarah had to touch a large tarantula to earn the certificate.
“I held her in two hands, and she was lovely. She did move her legs and crawl a little, but I felt fine. In fact, she was so lovely, I was tempted to slip her into my handbag and go home!”
Sarah’s life has since transformed – she was finally able to keep her windows open during the summer heatwaves, and now even has eight-legged friends of her own!
“When I got home actually, my son said to me ‘Mum, you’re not going to like it, but I’ve just noticed a spider on the wall’ and I said ‘no, let’s leave it.’ I learned to sex spiders on the course, and I said, “It’s a female. Let’s call her Cheryl – she looked like a Cheryl – and I just left her there. I don’t know where she’d gone, maybe out the window – but it doesn’t worry me.”
As well as conquering her fear, Sarah raised more than £500 including Gift Aid for Birmingham Hospice which could fund a whole day of nursing in the community.
If you’d like to organise your own fundraising for Birmingham Hospice, please visit: https://www.birminghamhospice.org.uk/get-involved/fundraise/diy-fundraising/
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