In April 2025, I will be taking on the huge challenge of running the London Landmarks Half Marathon for a special cause. 5 men, including my dad spent some time in the Intensive Care Unit last year and all of them were saved by the medical teams that treated them. Here is a summary of their stories.

My dad/Matt/Vintage picked up a very usual bacteria infection which developed in pneumonia and normal medication had no affect on him. After severe deterioration we took him into A&E because his oxygen levels had dipped to 81%. Despite given a 7 hour wait he was triaged and treated immediately. Within a couple of hours he was transferred to ICU, until he was well enough to move to a respiratory ward.

Through the careful analysis of Dad's treatment, the staff found the correct drug to fight the bacteria and he started to make a recovery The medical team and attention to detail in my dad's care were of the highest quality.

Mike Bogue, my friend's dad, who I have known since secondary school, had a rare spinal infection and admitted to ICU, who saved his life numerous times. He's now recovering at specialty spinal unit.

Tony Reading, a colleague of mine, had an out of hospital sudden cardiac arrest (OOHSCA) on 22nd March 2024. It was in the middle of the night and Mandy was able to do CPR until the arrival of the ambulance, fortunately this was within 5 or 6 minutes. The ambulance crews stabilised him and whilst on my way to Royal Berks Hospital he had another SCA that they managed. Once in hospital Tony had a stent fitted and was transferred to ICU. Once in the ITU he settled down with a cocktail of drugs to begin his recovery. He was unconscious and sedated.

After being there for a day or so Tony's heart decided it was not going to play anymore and decided to have a series (14) further cardiac arrest. The staff worked in shifts to keep up the CPR whilst giving him numerous shocks from the defibrillator. They obviously did a fantastic job and brought him back. Tony was then unconscious for a further 20 plus days before awakening with no memory of any of the kerfuffle he had caused. The care Tony received from all the staff in ITU was absolutely fantastic.

Phil Hall, a colleague of mine, was injured in a road traffic collision on 1st April 2024. Due to a very severe brain injury Phil was unconscious and had to be resuscitated twice at the scene.

Phil was flown by the Wiltshire air ambulance to the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford where he spent his first week in the neurology intensive care unit whilst he was in a coma and unresponsive. His survival chances were uncertain due to the severity of his injuries.

Phil's family visited him daily and were kept very well informed by all the ITU staff with continuous updates about Phil's progress. The staff were caring, compassionate and dignified in the way Phil was treated as well as his family.

On 29th March Simon Kennedy, a colleague of mine, collapsed during a run. He was initially in ITU at Royal Berks Hospital due to having seizures and then transferred to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham due multiple organ failure.

During his stay in Queen Elizabeth ITU he received 24 hour care due to being on a life support machine and treated for sepsis on the lungs and a cardiac arrest alongside my Liver and kidney failure.

Its thanks to the staff and care he received that he is still alive today and the follow up care has been exceptional as well.

ITU is never a place anyone would wish to be but without it and the amazing staff I wouldn’t be here to write this.

Thank you so much in advance for donating whatever you can, it really will make a massive difference.