On the 3rd October, Suzanne Stevens, David Allen, Emily Pinto Sarah Tyler and Ben Ives, who all work at the Wessex Neurological Centre, will be taking on a Marathon Challenge in aid of Smile4Wessex. 

As you know, the Wessex Neurological Centre is one of the largest units in the UK, providing specialist neurological care to patients across Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset, West Sussex, Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands. Previously funded projects include a dedicated neurological intensive care ambulance; installation of a new generation of neurosurgical operating microscope; the Smile4Wessex Children's Neurosciences Centre and a Paediatric Video-Telemetry Suite, used to assess children with severe epilepsy for life-changing surgery. Funding has also been provided for research into monitoring and treatment for serious bleeds on the brain.

The team are looking to raise money for the Smile4Wessex to fund future projects, including a second Adult Video-Telemetry bed. The Video-Telemetry Service is something the team are actively involved in as part of their day-to-day work at WNC. It allows continuous inpatient EEG (brain wave) and video recording for a period of up to 5 days, to help with accurate diagnosis and to guide management of severe epilepsy, in which seizures can have a debilitating impact on daily life. With only one adult (and one paediatric) bed currently, this would double their capacity to assess suitability for potentially life-changing surgical treatment options in adults.

This is the teams first attempt at a marathon distance and they are making it harder for themselves by running this on the local Salisbury-to-Winchester Clarendon Marathon course - a hilly off-road trail run following the ancient Clarendon Way, with a total elevation gain of over 650m (2155ft)!

Suzanne and David will be taking on the full 26.2 mile course (on the same date as the Virgin Money London Marathon). Emily, Sarah and Ben will also be covering the distance, as a relay team.

We wish Suzanne, Emily, David, Sarah and Ben the very best of luck. Please support them HERE