To raise money for the patient care, activities for those with Dementia to use as distraction therapy and make their stay a little less intimidating.

Mallard fund number 0139

Why am I doing this?

So last June I had spinal surgery for a ruptured disc by Mr Pande orthopaedic surgeon. I have been a long distance runner for several years and my disc had ruptured during a 34 mile ultra race. I finished the race but shortly after needed the emergency surgery.

The outcome didn’t look too good as I had damage to my nerve and couldn’t walk properly. At the time Mr Pande thought this could potentially be permanent.

In August last year I needed surgery again for the same problem! I had still not been able to return to work by this point. I eventually returned to work in the October but by the end of December found myself in hospital again! This time I needed a reconstruction and fusion of my lower back. Mr Pande knew how important running was to me and so he used special synthetic discs that he had researched and smaller length screws as I’m only 4 foot 8 and the normal screws he uses are too long for me  He spend 7 hours cutting, screwing, fixing and reconstructing everything and made sure my back tattoo was sewn back together perfectly 

It took a good few weeks to walk again but by May this year I had started to do a few short runs. I had resigned myself to the fact I was never going to do anything spectacular again. In September 2021 I had run 100 miles in 23 hours for the hospital charity and because I had done this, I was happy to just be able to put one foot in front of the other. Anything was better than nothing and I was just happy to be out there enjoying the fresh air.

However……..this weekend (16thSept) I completed 92 miles in 24 hours and came 12th out of 494! It was a 6 mile loop and the idea was to do as many laps as you could in 24 hours. I would have been ecstatic with 3 laps. I ended up doing 15!! (150km) I absolutely did not set out to do that! I just wanted to socially take part in the 24 hour event called equinox24.

No one could believe it, least of all me. I will never be able to sit for long periods, I will never be able to lift heavy objects again or bend properly. I am limited now on what clinical work I can do because my back doesn’t bend in the right place. However, Mr Pande has literally saved me. I know that sounds dramatic but he believed in me, he went against the advice of colleagues who thought he was mad to operate again (3 surgeries in the same place in 6 months) because he wanted to give me the best chance possible to continue to do what I love.

It is a minor miracle that I was able to complete such a long distance so soon after having such a major operation. I didn’t plan to, otherwise I would have organised sponsors beforehand. However, once I started, I found I just kept going and after the 5th lap, I thought damn it, I should have done this as a sponsored run for the hospital charity. So if anyone would like to donate in hindsight that would be great.

Also, we need to really celebrate our amazing surgeon who against all the odds, not only made me walk again, he gave me back my life. I owe him so much!