A Running Mayor is to tackle three marathons in three weeks to raise money for a hospital that helped save his daughter's life.
Running Mayor for Blackburn with Darwen, Andrew Gardner, said his own running journey highlights how important running can be to support mental wellbeing and as well as raising awareness and sharing running tips, he is raising funds for a cause close to his family’s heart, with not just one – but three marathons this autumn.
He said: “In October I intend to run three marathons in three weeks to raise money for the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity.
“How my daughter bounced back (and continues to bounce back) inspires me every day – the picture of her running is just a few weeks after finishing 28 sessions of Proton Beam Therapy at The Christie.
“She takes seven to eight tablets three times day, has growth hormone injections daily and has to be very careful what she eats now and she will for the rest of her life, but she is still here and that is down to the wonderful people at the Children’s Hospital and The Christie."
In October 2019 Andrew and his wife discovered their eldest daughter Scarlett had a rare benign tumour on her pituitary gland called a Craniopharyngioma.
This had been causing her increasingly worsening headaches and also had halted her growth - she hadn't really grown much in the last three years.
The tumour was the size of a golf ball and was removed (through her nose) in a nine and a half hour operation at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital on November 4 that year.
Thankfully due to the skill of the surgeons her eye sight actually improved.
Scarlett then received pioneering proton beam therapy at The Christie to zap the last remaining bits of the tumour that couldn't be removed in theatre.
She finished her 28 session plan (every week day for nearly 6 weeks) on February 13 and rang the bell in front of all her family.
Andrew added: "I hope you never need the kind of care we received, but be assured if you do, it is fantastic and I could run a marathon a day for the rest of my life and never have truly repaid them.
“I’m proud to know a lot of people in Blackburn with Darwn, and if everyone gave just £1 each it would make an enormous difference, so please give what you can."
Andrew will be running in London on October 3, Manchester on October 10 and Yorkshire on October 17.
He is fundraising for Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust Charity.
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