Sparks raises money to fund pioneering child health research across the UK, helping to find new treatments and cures for children and families who desperately need them.

When our son Joseph was born in January 2018 he was not breathing for around 15 minutes meaning there was a lack of oxygen getting to his brain. The term he was diagnosed with was Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy.

I must give a huge thank you to the staff at Grimsby Hospital along with the transport team Embrace who after around 6 hours managed to stabilise him enough to be able to be transported to the Jessops Wing at the Sheffield Teaching Hospital.

Joseph went to Sheffield to receive treatment called cooling (therapeutic hypothermia). Basically from what I picked up 'cooling' Joseph's body and brain temperature alters chemical processes in the brain, reducing the risk of permanent brain damage. 

When Joseph started the cooling process he was inside a special incubator connected to a huge array of different leads all checking various things. He also had very small needles entered into his head which I believe were checking his brainwave function. Unfortunately when he started the treatment his brain was in a depressed state. However after around 1/2 of the 72 hours he remained cooled the brainwave suddenly changed, as quick as turning a light switch on his brain went from being depressed to being normal.

You can imagine my wife and my shock when suddenly there are doctors and nurses rushing across, all looking at Joseph saying what has happened is amazing. The top doctor that night went as far as saying he had never seen anything like it before - and even called it a 'medical wonder'.

Joseph has done so well since leaving hospital and continues to hit all of his major milestones. Both myself and my wife could never have imagined what was going to happen when Joseph was born. However due to the level of care he received we feel extremely lucky he is with us today.

When the charity 'Sparks' (who were instrumental in the research and development of the cooling treatment he received) accepted my application to run for them in the London Marathon 2019 I was delighted. Hopefully the money i raise will go towards other pioneering technology to help children.

Once again a massive thank you to all the people who looked after Joseph and Kerry. What you all did was incredible.