My Story

Our Story

In 2020 and again in 2021 we found ourselves facing every parent’s worst fear. Our son, Rupert, was seriously unwell and needed urgent, life-saving treatment. As an infant he was hospitalised frequently, relying on respiratory support at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. On two occasions his condition became so severe that he needed more specialist care and was transferred away from Stoke Mandeville.

The first was in December 2020, when we spent Christmas at the John Radcliffe Hospital. It was the height of lockdown. We couldn’t have the support of family or friends, and with Lauren seven months pregnant with Barty, we weren’t allowed to be at Rupert’s side together. We had to take it in turns to sit with him, swapping places at the door of the ward.

In May 2021 it happened again. Rupert was transferred to Southampton General Hospital, this time placed on life support for more than two weeks. During that period he developed ventilation pneumonia and also suffered a stroke, challenges we are still working hard to minimise to this day. Our parents immediately paused everything and moved down to Southampton, renting an Airbnb for more than three weeks so that four-month-old Barty could be close to us while we stayed at Rupert’s bedside. Rupert eventually moved from intensive care to high dependency and then to a general ward. Those were very long and frightening days - the kind where you don’t think beyond the next hour.

But in the middle of all of that, Ronald McDonald House Charities gave us something priceless: they kept our family together on both occasions.

Instead of travelling back and forth or trying to sleep in hospital chairs, we had a safe, calm place to stay just minutes from Rupert’s bedside. We could cook, shower, take a breath, and then go straight back to him. It meant we were always there when he needed us, day or night. It made an unbearable situation manageable.

Rupert is now a happy, energetic five-year-old. You’d never know what he went through. But we’ve never forgotten the support we received.

We promised ourselves that one day we’d give something back. Every Christmas since, we’ve made Christmas hampers and delivered them to the Oxford Ronald McDonald House on Christmas Eve, hoping to bring a little comfort to families in the exact situation we once faced. We remember how much it meant to us to find something as simple as a wrapped pair of socks or fresh toiletries waiting when we were so isolated - small kindnesses that made the hardest days feel a little less overwhelming.

But we have always wanted to do more.

So in April 2026 I’ll be running the London Marathon for Ronald McDonald House Charities. Every mile will be for the families who are sitting where we once sat, facing the unimaginable. If this run can help even one family stay close to their child when it matters most, then every step is worth it.

Thank you so much for supporting us.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities UK

Ronald McDonald House Charities UK (RMHC UK) provides free ‘home away from home’ accommodation for families with seriously ill children in hospital. Their Houses are located just a short walk from children’s wards across the country, allowing parents and siblings to stay close, keep normality, and support each other through the toughest moments of their lives.

Every House is funded by donations. They are not part of the NHS, and they rely on fundraising to keep the doors open 365 days a year. The charity provides:

Free accommodation for as long as a child is in hospital

Private family rooms and communal kitchens, lounges and laundry facilities

A supportive community of staff and families who understand exactly what others are going through

Space to rest, recover and stay strong when life feels overwhelming

In 2023 alone RMHC UK supported thousands of families across the country, saving them millions of pounds in hotel and travel costs — but more importantly, sparing them the emotional toll of being separated from their child.

By donating, you’re directly helping families stay close when they need it most.