RADLEY FOUNDATION

 HUGO RUTLAND MEMORIAL FUND

In ten days time I commence a 600Km bicycle ride in Thailand. This will be a challenge for me, not just through the distance and heat but also because I had major thoracic surgery 8 weeks ago! The surgery was part of ongoing treatment for a malignant mesothelioma. This has been my rehabilitation goal. I and some old friends and colleagues from Sydney where Daniel was born are cycling from Bangkok to Phuket.  We practiced this summer in the hills of Piedmont (  Photo 3) . Some of us are trying to get individual sponsorship but as a group we are also raising money for the Australian Chamber of Commerce to distribute to Thai charities. We have been promised $15000 already by Australian companies. If I succeed it will be a personal success but I hope to make it something more through sponsorship for the Hugo Rutland Fund.  Why am I trying to raise money? Read on 

 

My son Daniel, like Archie Rutland  ( The Family Photo 1) after whose father the fund is named, left Radley this summer after five enjoyable years during which I have watched him grow up in an environment that I have grown to respect and admire. Unlike Archie, Daniel has not had the devastating loss of a father. He has though had to cope with a father who has been very ill and who, statistically speaking, would ordinarily have died one or two years ago.  In March of 2007 I was diagnosed with the rare asbestos induced lung tumour, mesothelioma.  50% of patients diagnosed with this disease die within 12 months of diagnosis, with or without treatment.  By the time Daniel finished on Gaudy I had been having treatment on and off for about three and a half years.  I am doing pretty well still, but what also is a source of comfort to me is that Daniel has been able to finish his education at Radley. 

 

I had to stop work immediately, and have not worked since. When I was diagnosed I was a 48 year old NHS consultant in Anaesthesia & Pain Medicine. I had moved from Chelsea & Westminster Hospital to Reading in 2003 to live and work outside London. I had a private practice in Berkshire and in London. Whilst my NHS pay continued for 6 months and then halved for another six months my private practice ceased immediately.  The vast majority of my non-NHS earnings went to educating my three children. So as well as the stress of cancer, the effects of the treatment and the prospect of an imminent death, I had the additional worry of how to continue my children’s education, which I consider to be one of the most important things parents can give their child.  Radley stepped into the breach and, with a minimum of fuss, offered a grant from the Hugo Rutland Memorial Fund ( Photo 3 ) to enable Daniel to stay at Radley; later, further HRMF grants and an additional bursary from the school allowed him to continue his education.   In effect Daniel’s school fees were halved. 

 

Early on I felt that I wanted Daniel to come home, and perhaps be a dayboy nearby. I thought that being away from home might be the wrong thing for him and for personal reasons I wanted to see as much of him as I could. I realised though that that course of action would be not in his best interests, that continuing at Radley was exactly what was needed and thankfully I did not have to make that decision for financial reasons. Sadly in the future somebody else will be in my sort of predicament. By supporting the Hugo Rutland Fund you will have helped to reduce the stress for a boy, his parents or surviving parent.  I am lucky that I was at Daniel’s last Gaudy.  Had I not been, at least I would have known he was going to be there. 

Thank you for helping me and others.  Through your contributions we may jointly help future boys. 

 

During the journey I will update progress when I can !