We’re delighted to introduce you to the second member of Team Friends of PICU in the Virgin Money London Marathon in October 2021….Charlie! We are thrilled to have Charlie taking part to raise awareness of, and fundraise for, Friends of PICU. Here Charlie shares his story and why he applied for one of our charity places:
“Hi, my name is Charlie Keys and I am a consultant paediatric surgeon in Southampton Children’s Hospital.
I have been running for over 20 years. I love running. I am not a competitive runner. I am not even a fast runner. I don’t really count time, distance, heart rate or calories. My idea of running has probably been best expressed by Murakami or Forest Gump. For me it is part physical and part mental. A good way to stay fit and healthy but also beneficial in a meditative kind of way.
I like to run on treadmills with loud music in my headphones and I also like running outside in any kind of weather. I have taken part in lots of running events from 10Ks, half marathons and 2 marathons most recently in Paris in 2018. I enjoy the discipline required for a marathon and the perseverance at times when you might question if you are crazy. I also love the nervous excitement of the starting line when the day arrives, and nothing beats the rhythmic sound of thousands of feet on the road as everyone starts running. I have tried and failed several times to get a place in the London marathon so when I received the email from Friends of PICU inviting applicants I filled it in straight away.
London is a city full of famous landmarks and the marathon is an iconic event which I am very excited to experience.
The PICU at Southampton Children’s Hospital is one of our flagship services. The team in PICU deliver excellent care to the sickest children in the Thames Valley and Wessex region. The outcomes are one of the best in the country. Without PICU the rest of the services at SCH would not be able to flourish in the way that they do.
The team work 24/7 retrieving patients, looking after emergency admissions and supporting elective medical and surgical services. They deliver lifesaving expertise with empathy and care. PICU is full of stories many of which are happy, but the team also work in conditions of extreme stress and difficulty. I have admiration and respect for this whole team.
Friends of PICU has a track record of raising awareness for PICU, running events for staff, patients and families and raising money to enhance the facilities. They are an integral part of the success of PICU and I am excited to run for them.
I am looking forward to running with Lucy, the other Friends of PICU runner. Lucy’s story is a story of triumph and joy that should be celebrated. It is also a story that embodies the spirit of UHS with collaboration between adult and paediatric surgeons, PICU and our children’s ward staff.
We will keep you posted on our fund-raising events, training and the big day.”
Many congratulations Charlie and welcome to our Team! We wish you the best of luck with your training for the Virgin Money London Marathon. If you would like to support Charlie in achieving his fundraising target of £1,500, please click here Charlie Keys Virgin Money London Marathon
