Richard Smith is not a man to shy away from a challenge. After completing the London Marathon on Sunday 24th April within an astonishing 4 hours and 12 minutes (in spite of injury), he has decided to run the Vitality 10,000 on 30th May and the British 10k London Run on Sunday 10th July.  It is Richard's aim to raise £3,000 for the Young Person's Unit (Ward T12) and Young Person's 'day case' patients (Ward T11).

Richard is no stranger to taking on a challenge, on the 6th of September last year he took part in the Richmond Running Festival and ran a half marathon on our behalf, raising more than £1,100 for UCH Macmillan Cancer Centre.

It is always fantastic when people choose to support us through participating in our events, particularly when they are affiliated to the Trust. Our huge thanks goes to Richard for his support and commitment.

The Young Person's Unit supports patients suffering from long term illnesses, and whilst many them of spend extended periods of time on the ward, others attend hospital only for outpatient treatment. It is of paramount importance that the time these young people spend in hospital be made as enjoyable as possible.

With the support of people like Richard, money can be invested in creating a calm and stimulating environment, offering entertainment and distractions for these young people at what is potentially a stressful time for them. If you would like to show your support for Richard please make a donation on his fundraising page here.

Many thanks to Richard for taking on these remarkable challenges and we hope that after the British 10k London Run he will finally get a well earned rest!