Running for Rory

Super Dad Josh is running the Edinburgh Marathon for Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity after the lifesaving care his son Rory received in PICU. 

'At just 4 weeks old, my son Rory developed breathing problems after a severe case of RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus).'

'Despite various treatments, multiple hospital visits, and a collapsed lung, Rory's condition worsened significantly.'

'He was placed on a ventilator as a last resort, and we faced an agonising 24 hours with no improvement.'

'Rory was connected to eight different leads and his stats and health were monitored closely.'

'Heart-wrenchingly, we couldn't hold him for days as any movement would interfere with the ventilator doing its job.'

'Over the coming days, Rory was monitored by a dedicated team of PICU staff 24/7. This was crucial as he crashed 15 times, each triggering a rush of medical assistance.'

'The traumatic memory of that emergency button being pressed, and the swift response of the staff rushing in to keep him alive, is something we'll never forget.'

'The care, speed and attention he was given in the PICU (Paediatric Intensive Care Unit) was unbelievable.'

'The hard-working PICU staff don’t just have to support the kids, but the parents too. The staff did everything they could to make us feel more at ease, whether it was a hug, emotional support or simple small talk.'

'Little Fighter'

'Despite setbacks, Rory is a little fighter and showed gradual improvement after 5 days on the ventilator.'

'The doctors tried to reduce his 100% reliance on the ventilator and get Rory to take an occasional breath on his own.'

'The ventilator dependence lessened, and as his stats improved, doctors carefully transitioned him onto oxygen therapy.'

'Over time, we witnessed his remarkable recovery, eventually celebrating the removal of the ventilator altogether, a huge relief for us all as it felt we were no longer on the last resort option.'

'There were still challenges as Rory had to relearn to feed and breathe independently without oxygen therapy. After another two weeks in hospital, we finally managed to get our boy home!'

Life Now

'Fast forward a year to now, and Rory is thriving! He's started learning how to talk and loves getting in to mischief with his big sisters!'

'We remain cautious in times of illness as simple cold/viruses hit him hard which hopefully will pass as he gets older.'

'We will be forever grateful to the PICU staff and their life-saving equipment.'

'In honour of this journey, I've committed to running the Edinburgh Marathon in May to help raise funds for Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity.'

Inspired by Josh? 

Registration is still OPEN for the Edinburgh Marathon Festival!

Join our incredible team of runners going the extra mile for young patients like Rory.

We welcome the support of seasoned 26.2-milers and running novices alike. 

There's no entry fee for charity runners and we'll also send you a free running top when you reach £100.

Be quick - last few charity places remaining: Sign up now!