Man's 100k run to thank hospitals who helped dad make 'miraculous recovery'
A grateful man is to embark on a 100-mile sponsored run to thank the hospitals who helped his dad make “a miraculous recovery” from a life-threatening illness.
James Harris, 32, from Horncastle, will run from Louth County Hospital to the Diana, Princess Of Wales Hospital in Grimsby and Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham, near Hull, and back to Grimsby again, hoping to raise £10,000 for charity.
Doctors, nurses and staff at all three hospitals played their part in successfully treating 78-year-old John Harris after he suddenly fell critically ill last summer.
What initially appeared to be a chesty cold and cough deteriorated into multiple organ failure, including to his heart, and pneumonia.
John, who lives in Woodhall Spa with wife Alison, spent 55 days in intensive care and was in a medically induced coma, on and off, for about a month. He also underwent open-heart surgery.
And yet, somehow, after 98 days, he finally returned home. And now he is living a near-normal life again, working one day a week at Hutchinsons, the crop production specialists where he spent more than 40 years of his career, and even playing golf every now and then at his local Woodhall Spa club.
"It really has been a miraculous recovery,” said Samantha Branch-Evans, James’s 36-year-old sister, who lives in Rutland.
"The ordeal has slowed dad down a bit, but we are delighted with the way he has ended up.
"At one stage, we were told it was likely he wouldn’t make it or that he would have to spend the rest of his life in a nursing home.
"It was an incredibly difficult three months, but thanks to the extraordinary staff, especially at Grimsby Hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU), he pulled through.
"The care and compassion shown by the Grimsby team made a lasting impression on the whole family.
"Their expertise, kindness and dedication gave us more time with dad, and James’s run is our way of saying thankyou from the family.”
James, who has followed in his father’s footsteps by working as an agronomist for Hutchinsons, is in full training for the run, labelled The Hospital 100, which takes place on Saturday, September 6.
He has set up a JustGiving page in a bid to reach his target and, already, £6,350 has been raised thanks to 75 supporters.
The money will go the Health Tree Foundation, which is the charity for the Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Trust, and to specifically support the work of the Grimsby ICU, which will soon be expanding to 20 beds.
James said: “Thanks to the incredible of the ICU, dad made a remarkable recovery. To give back, I’d like to raise £10,000, which is about £100 for each day he spent in hospital.
"On the run, I’ll be re-tracing dad’s hospital journey, and I hope friends and family will join me, running, biking, walking or cheering me on.
"Please support this vital cause and make a difference for future patients.””
James will be joined on all or part of the run by girlfriend Georgie Deacon, 30, – just a week after the pair get married!
Samantha will also be there, as well as John and Alison, their eldest child, Jo Trotter, 53, who lives near Market Rasen, and five grandchildren.
Added Samantha: “We’d love to share the fundraising page and raise as much money as possible to show our thanks and to support future patients. We’d love to get the whole community in Woodhall Spa, Horncastle and Louth involved.”