My name's Luke and I'm an ECMO Coordinator & Charge Nurse working in critical care at Wythenshawe Hospital. I'm Turning 30 this year and wanted to mark the occasion with a challenge. I'll be running 12 marathons throughout the year with the aim of fundraising for Manchester Foundation Trust's ECMO service. 

ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane oxygenation) is a life-saving intervention for people who are suffering from the extremes of respiratory deterioration, oxygenating a persons blood when their lungs are unable to. This device helps to treat people with many different conditions including Influenza and acute asthma as well as being used extensively throughout the COVID 19 pandemic. Wythenshawe Hospital is one of only 6 ECMO centres in the UK and is responsible for providing ECMO support to people across North West England: from Leeds to Carlisle, Liverpool to the Isle of Man. I witness the life-saving impact that my colleagues have on our patients every day and this was never more pertinent than during the COVID19 pandemic. This period changed the lives of my colleagues and I and has instilled in me a passion for ECMO care. 

 I'll be starting with the Sevilla Marathon in Spain on 19/02/22 going on to complete a marathon each month including the London Marathon in April.  I'd love as much support as possible to help me get through this, so if you would like to join me on a marathon or want to cheer me on, get in touch. Please support my challenge and follow my journey throughout the year. 

Thanks,

Luke x