Great North Run for Charlie & Alana

Two exercise-shy, non-athletes (Mark & Gav) from the North East - now living in South London - and a Yorkshire whippet (Owen) are taking on the Great North Run (8 Sep) and hoping to raise a bit of cash along the way.

We’re running (in the loosest sense of the word) the half marathon for Charlie and Alana - to support them on their journey as Charlie continues his rehab following a brain injury he suffered last year.

Charlie is truly one of the nicest blokes you could meet. In fact his only flaw is that he’s a lifelong Millwall fan (difficult for 3 northerners to forgive 😀).

A keen amateur boxer since the age of 19, his obvious talent for the sport saw him turn professional in 2016. But, in March last year, whilst preparing for his third fight as a professional (having won his first two) he was injured in training.

Having lost consciousness he was taken to King’s College Hospital where it was discovered Charlie had suffered an acute subdural haematoma (a large brain bleed). He had emergency lifesaving surgery where a proportion of his skull was removed to relieve dangerous pressure. The operation was successful but Charlie’s brain had been significantly injured and he remained in hospital for 10 weeks.

Like the fighter he is, Charlie is now continuing his recovery in a rehabilitation centre in Kent and his determination has meant he’s surpassed all expectations. The goal, in his words, is to “get home and be able to walk”.

It is impossible to know how long his recovery will take and, at such a difficult time, Charlie and Alana have been overwhelmed by the generosity and support they’ve received.

The money raised here will go towards an invaluable fund that is helping to ease some of the ongoing financial pressures and enable them to think about adjustments to their home to accommodate Charlie’s future needs.

Thanks very much for your support!