Bramley man comes to end of three-week half marathon challenge for ill friend

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A Bramley man has been running a half marathon every day for three weeks in a bid to raise £65,000 so his best friend can undergo life-changing surgery.

Phil Broadbent, 32, will today (Sunday) 21 half marathons in 21 days around Leeds – and has already helped to swell a crowdfunding page to more more than £32,000 – just short of half the amount needed.

Eight years ago, his lifelong friend Becky Lawrence was struck down with crippling fatigue. Her condition has become so bad in recent years that the 32-year-old had to give up her dream job as a research scientist and is now completely bedbound.

After years of investigations, Becky was diagnosed by a specialist neurosurgeon with craniocervical instability and atlantoaxial subluxation. This means that the ligaments that hold her skull and the top two vertebrae of her spine together are too loose, leading to too much movement at these joints. This causes compression and excessive stretching of the brain stem, resulting in neurological symptoms.

Becky needs surgery to fuse her skull to the top two vertebrae to relieve the compression of the brain stem. However, there are only a handful of specialist neurosurgeons in the world who perform this
operation, the closest being in Spain.

Unfortunately this treatment is not currently funded by the NHS and will cost around £65,000; this will include consultations, surgery, pre and post-operative scans, hospital stay and medications.

Her brother Andrew Taylor said:

“Despite medication, Becky’s symptoms are now so severe that she is completely bed-bound. She is unable to walk, to sit up for very long or to do anything for herself and she is in significant pain all of the time.

“We need your help to raise the funds needed for this surgery and to help my sister to get her life back. We will be extremely grateful for every penny you can spare.”

You can find the Go Fund Me page and donate here.

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