A teacher from Bushey, who works in Harrow, is taking on the TCS London Marathon this Sunday to raise funds for a charity that provided support for his family when his daughter was born with a rare congenital abnormality of her airway.
Dave Rowan-Robinson, 39, is running in aid of the Ronald McDonald House Charities UK, an organization that provides free accommodation for families with children in hospital. The charity gives families a “home away from home” while their children are receiving treatment. Dave and his wife, Sophie, stayed at Ronald McDonald Evelina London House while their daughter Lola was in the hospital.
The house provided a bedroom for the couple while their daughter received neonatal intensive care for the first five months of her life.
Ronald McDonald House Charities UK operates 14 houses across England, Scotland, and Wales. It provides free accommodation to families with children in hospitals, helping them stay close to their children and reducing the financial burden of finding accommodation nearby. The houses save each family an average of £1,240 in out-of-pocket accommodation expenses.
Dave, who works as an Assistant Headteacher in Harrow, is an experienced marathon runner, and he is running the London Marathon for the second time and the third time in total. He has been preparing for the event for months and is confident of performing well.
The Afternoon Tea event organized by Dave and Sophie, which aims to raise funds for The Friends of Bournehall School charity, is another opportunity for people to contribute to the cause. Tickets for the event are available at www.tickettailor.com/events/charityafternoonteaatstjamesrestaurantbushey.
Lola is now four years old and is doing well, although she still has a tracheostomy tube. Doctors are hopeful that the tube can be removed soon.
Lily Smith, Senior Events Fundraiser at Ronald McDonald House Charities UK, expressed her delight at Dave’s fundraising efforts and wished him the best for the marathon. She also expressed gratitude for the support provided by Dave and Sophie, which will help the charity continue to support families like Lola’s.
To donate to Dave’s fundraiser, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/David-Rowan-Robinson. For more information about Ronald McDonald House Charities UK, visit www.rmhc.org.uk.
