Russell Stevenson
Russell Stevenson (from Sheffield) 100km Thames Path Challenge
Fundraising for British Heart Foundation
Story
Since July 2018, my Nephew, Sammy, has undergone treatment for a rare congenital birth defect of the heart. Sammy was born with TAPVR (Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return) a condition where oxygen rich blood does not return correctly from the lungs to the heart. Sammy’s oxygen levels were very low as a newborn baby to the point where he could have died had open heart surgery not taken place.
So a very brave little man has now undergone open heart surgery on 3 separate occasions and all before his 1st birthday, as well as various other procedures associated with his condition. Sammy is very much on the mend in terms of his improving health, all thanks to the NHS staff who have taken care of him since last July mostly at The Leeds General Hospital. Sammy’s parents have endured months of concern and worry but are so very grateful to all the people that have supported their family and friends and continue to do so through this difficult time.
The British Heart Foundation is a charity that is particularly poignant to me not only for their research into child congenital heart defects but also in memory of my very good friend Mark Millard who passed away suddenly in 2004 at just 31 years young. Mark and I were the same age at the time of his passing, he was a great friend to so many people and was taken from us all very suddenly and unexpectedly at a young age.
Any research by The British Heart Foundation that benefits the future prevention of infant or adult heart illness or death is so worthwhile and therefore I am undertaking The Thames Path Challenge on Saturday 7thSeptember 2019 (BHF are a partner charity of the Thames Path Challenge). This involves running (and most likely some walking) 100km (62.14 miles) along the Thames Path from Bishops Park, London to Henley on Thames in Oxfordshire, in the space of a day or at least hopefully before it goes dark...
https://www.thamespathchallenge.com/
I am required to raise at least £300.00 for The British Heart Foundation to qualify my full entry into the Thames Path Challenge.
Finally, please give what you can afford as I know requests such as this seem to come around often and whatever your level of support the gesture you make shall be very much appreciated. Thank you very much for reading.
Russ