A DEDICATED dad who suffers from Crohn’s disease has raised more than £1,000 for an autistic charity while completing his own version of the London Marathon.
Pip Ramsey, 44, of Colchester, received his Crohn’s diagnosis back in 2003, which meant he had to have an ostomy bag to deal with waste from his body.
But despite the day-to-day challenges, Pip is always looking for ways to support worthy causes.
Inspired by his autistic son, he ran on the spot as well as backwards and forwards in Aqua Spring’s hydrotherapy pool for the equivalent of 26 miles measured by his Garmin watch.
His efforts raised £1,050 for the National Autistic Society.
Pip’s son, Mitchell Pearce Ramsey, 11, was diagnosed with autism when he was four years old.
READ MORE:>>Dad takes on his own marathon in hydrotherapy pool to support autistic son
Pip said: “The night before I was full of anxiety and didn’t sleep very well and I was thinking ‘I am not going to do it’.
“I have never done 26 miles in my life. I can do half marathons and I wouldn’t say quite easily, but I have done them quite regularly in the water.
“My left knee started to hurt and I was getting all stressed up but I held on and I got through it.”
Pip managed to finish the mammoth challenge in four hours and said it was the support of spectators which kept him going through the most challenging moments.
He said: “The only point I took break was when emptied my ileostomy bag and I was straight back into the pool.
“The staff at Aqua Springs were superb. They said ‘Give us a little wave and we will give you a drink’.
“They gave me thumbs-up saying ‘Well done fella.’ The little boost made me go a little bit harder.
“People were splashing me with water so I didn’t get too hot.
“It really was a team game.”
Following the successful challenge, Pip is now looking forward to his next fundraising opportunity.
He added: “I felt so proud of myself.
“There’s been so much kind community spirit it makes me want to go do another charity run as soon as possible.
“ I have got diabetes and arthritis so I would like to do one for Diabetes UK and one for Versus Arthritis.”
To donate visit here.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here