We are celebrating our 50th anniversary this year.
Kickstarting our anniversary celebrations, 20 team members are donning their trainers and running 13.1 miles at the Richmond Half-Marathon on Sunday 11 September to raise money for three chosen charities.
The race takes runners on a scenic tour around London’s most appealing areas. Everyone starts at Kew Botanical Gardens and finishes at a music festival in Old Deer Park, via the Richmond Riverside and Ham House. As well as revelling in the beautiful Southwest London hot spots, this challenge is also to raise money for several great causes.
Every year, Wilder Coe nominates and fundraises for charities that are personal to staff. As the votes came in at the start of the year, we asked the nominees why they put forward these great causes.
PEEPS-HIE
“In 2019, when my son Franklin was born, he had a traumatic birth and was diagnosed with HIE (Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy) as his brain did not receive enough oxygen or blood for a period. He was whisked off to Homerton Hospital, which is almost an hour away from us, for cooling treatment to minimise the impact. Thankfully, his prognosis was good and he doesn’t appear to have any negative impacts for now. For many others, the news isn’t so positive and they are significantly impacted from birth. PEEPS are looking to raise awareness of HIE, and provide support to anyone affected.”
Cavernoma Alliance UK
“I first became involved with CAUK when my niece, who had been previously fit and healthy suddenly started suffering seizures. She was diagnosed with a cavernoma, a collection of abnormal blood vessels often found in the brain but can also appear on the spinal cord, which looks a little bit like a raspberry. Over recent years, she’s undergone brain surgery to reduce the frequency of her seizures but she still relies on a cocktail of drugs to keep them to a minimum. With over 2,800 people in the UK with this relatively unknown condition, CAUK wants to raise awareness among the public and the medical community.”
Fibromyalgia Action UK
“Fibromyalgia is a widespread chronic pain condition with no cure and lacks research within the medical community. I received my diagnosis in 2015 after 3 years spent being sent to one specialist after another whilst undergoing multiple scans and medications. It is a hereditary condition, as my Mum was diagnosed, and wheelchair-bound, when I was 11 years old and two of my cousins also have the same condition. Awareness and funding are essential and the end goal must get medical professionals on the condition. Fibromyalgia causes pain and increased sensitivity to pain all over your body. During flare-ups it feels like your bones and limbs are on fire, your body swells, and the chronic pain causes memory issues like “brain fog” and depression.”