The headteacher of a Marlborough primary school will be taking on the challenge of the London Marathon following his daughter's recent brain condition diagnosis.
Dan Crossman, headteacher at Marlborough's St Mary's Primary School, will be taking on the 26.2 mile course on 23 April.
He is hoping to raise £2,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) Charity, and has already raised over £1,600.
Dan's daughter, Flo, aged 11, has been diagnosed with Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs). It is a condition that affects the arteries and veins in her brain. Flo is currently being treated at the Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Dan said this condition means Flo is often tired, has many headaches, and suffers mobility problems on her right side.
The 11-year-old has been referred to the Zayed Centre for Research at GOSH, where she will have a skin biopsy to try to identify the genetic condition that causes the AVM. The hope for the future is that there may eventually be some drugs developed that will stop the growth of AVM in patients.
This diagnosis of his daughter's AVM has spurred Dan on to take up the London Marathon challenge.
Dan explains: "I think I'll be pretty emotional when I cross the finish line, because of Flo’s story. She is the reason why I'm doing it, and also, if I'm really honest, it’s therapy for myself.
“Flo is amazing and so are the team at GOSH that look after us. She’s recently had ground-breaking surgery to help alleviate some of her symptoms. This procedure can only be done by the neurosurgery team at Great Ormond Street Hospital. To us, they are real-life superheroes. We hope that by raising this money, other children can benefit from the amazing care offered by GOSH.”
Those wishing to sponsor Dan can find his fundraising page at https://2023tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/dan-crossman
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