A DAD whose son is fighting fit after life-saving heart surgery is doing the OX5 Run to raise money for the Oxford Children’s Hospital.
Luke Bourne’s three-year-old son Oliver is now full of energy and spends hours running around the garden with his toy lawnmower.
But at six months old he had to have a major operation to repair his heart at the Oxford Children’s Hospital.
Oliver was born with a heart defect called Tetralogy of Fallot, which meant he wasn’t getting enough oxygen.
To thank the doctors who treated him Mr Bourne, 40, is running the five-mile Blenheim Palace run to fundraise for the hospital on March 10.
Mr Bourne, a car mechanic from Garsington, said: “He made a miraculous recovery. In intensive care he was trying to pull his mask off like a little hero, like they do in films. It was amazing for such a little lad, he is so strong.
“He’s on the go nonstop now, all day long, and loves being in the garden pretending to mow the lawn following me up and down the garden.
“He is just so full of life. Running for the children’s hospital is just a small way of saying a huge thank you. The doctors saved his life so you can’t be thankful enough.”
This is Mr Bourne’s third OX5 Run fundraising for the hospital. He will be cheered on by his wife Amanda, Oliver, and their one-year-old son Adam. He and Amanda raised around £500 the previous years and they hope to meet the £500 target this year too.
Spokesman for the Oxford Children’s Hospital, Sarah Vaccari, said: “It’s wonderful when parents who have been through so much with their children want to thank the medical teams that have helped them.
“Luke was one of the first people to enter this year’s OX5 Run and has taken part in previous years as well, so he is a great supporter of the Oxford Children’s Hospital. I hope that others will be inspired by Luke and sign up as well.”
The OX5 Run, which is organised by the Oxford Mail and sponsored by Oxford-based recruitment firm Allen Associates, raised £60,000 for the Oxford Children’s Hospital last year.
Enter online via the above button, by calling 01865 743444 or by downloading and posting in our OX5 2013 entry form.pdf
If you or someone else has a special reason for entering then please email our OX5 Reporter Katriona Ormiston
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