Aston Clinton dad runs TCS London Marathon for the place that kept his family together
James Bradshaw, from Aston Clinton, is taking on the TCS London Marathon in support of Ronald McDonald House Charities UK, a charity providing free ‘home away from home’ accommodation for families with children in hospital.
James is running in gratitude for the support his family received during two of the most frightening periods of their lives, when his young son Rupert became critically unwell in 2020 and again in 2021, needing urgent, lifesaving care far from home.
The first time, the family spent Christmas at the John Radcliffe Hospital during lockdown, with their world turned upside down overnight. The following year brought another devastating blow, as Rupert was rushed to hospital in Southampton, where he was placed on life support for more than two weeks, followed by weeks of uncertainty as his condition slowly stabilised.
Throughout both hospital stays, Ronald McDonald House Charities UK ensured the family could stay close to Rupert when it mattered most, removing the burden of long journeys, sleepless nights in hospital chairs or being separated during an already overwhelming time.
What James remembers most is not only the fear of those days, but the relief of having somewhere safe and calm to return to, where the family could cook a meal, take a breath, gather strength and then go straight back to Rupert whenever he needed them.
James said: “When Rupert became critically unwell, everything else faded into the background. All that mattered was being close to him. Thanks to Ronald McDonald House Charities UK, we didn’t have to worry about travelling back and forth, sleeping in chairs or being apart from one another.
Having a place where we could eat together, rest for a moment and then return straight to Rupert made an unimaginable situation just that little bit more bearable.
Every mile I run is a thank you for the kindness shown to our family, a celebration of how far Rupert has come, and a way to help ensure other families can stay together through the hardest days of their lives.”
Ronald McDonald House Charities UK is an independent charity, which operates 14 Houses across England, Wales and Scotland, providing free ‘home away from home’ accommodation. The Houses keep families together, close to their children in hospital. They provide a place to sleep, cook and retain some sense of normal life; a lifeline for families at a very stressful time, especially when they are far from home.
Lily Miller, Senior Events Manager at Ronald McDonald House Charities UK, said: “We are incredibly grateful to James for taking on the London Marathon to say thank you for the support his family received. It was our privilege to help keep his family together during such frightening and uncertain times, and fundraising efforts like this ensure we can continue to be there for families when they need us most.”
Following several years of planning, fundraising, and building, the Ronald McDonald House at Oxford Children’s Hospital opened in May 2020. The House is situated just moments away from the John Radcliffe Hospital and has everything a family could need to continue some semblance of normal life, including communal kitchens, laundry facilities, day rooms and a garden. The House has 62 ensuite bedrooms which, last year, accommodated 1003 families with children being treated in Oxford Children’s Hospital, Critical Care Unit and Newborn Care Unit.
To donate via James’s fundraiser, please visit:
To find out more about Ronald McDonald House Charities UK, visit: www.rmhc.org.uk