I am running the Great North Run to raise funds to support Callan.

At the end of his last day at high school, my friend's 16 year old son Callan did what a lot of boys of his age do and went for a wander and a play in the woods with his mates. Sadly he fell off a rope swing and landed badly, resulting in his neck being broken in two places and is now unable to move his legs and with limited movement of his arms.

He is making great progress through sheer determination and bloody mindedness and also tremendous help from his family, friends and the staff Sheffield Northern Hospital Spinal Unit where he currently resides, taking on counselling, physio and learning to do things all over again that we all take for granted.

He is determined to go to New College as planned and is dealing with the situation much better than I could ever imagine myself doing.

Callan will eventually need and want to return home and this will require modifications to his house to be made to allow him to move around and carry on "as normal".

Any donations will be greatly received so the transition to this new situation can begin.

" it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward."...Rocky Balboa.