THE plight of a dale toddler who underwent lifesaving surgery on the day he was born has inspired his dad to tackle a cycle marathon to raise money for the charity which has supported the family.
Little Caleb Russell was born in July 2022 and before he reached a day old was rushed to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) after being diagnosed with a rare condition that meant he could not swallow.
Doctors discovered he had been born with oesphageal atresia and trachea-oesophageal fistula – OA/TOF – which are rare congenital conditions of the food pipe and airway that affect about one in 3,500 people.
Then, when just three months old, Caleb had to return to the RVI for more surgery after starting to suffer from tracheomalacia – the collapse of the airway when breathing.
Now aged 18 months, Caleb is happy at home in Ingleton with parents Mark and Sophie and older brother Hugo, aged four.
Dad Mark said: “Despite all that he has been through he is such a happy and cheerful boy. He brings so much joy to us all as a family.
“Before Caleb was born none of us had even heard of the condition. It was a worrying and very stressful time.
“One thing that helped us immensely was the TOFS charity. They were an enormous support in respect of information. Their book was never far from our side and we studied it in detail. We learnt a huge amount in a short time.
“Since then, we have been able to learn about the ongoing challenges we might face, how best to deal with those and the questions we should ask.
“All of this is only possible thanks to the generous donations that TOFS receives as a charity.”
To support the charity, Mark, 45, a member of Teesdale Athletics Club and keen cyclist, has signed up to raise cash for TOFS at the Ford Ride London 100 mile cycle on May 26.
He has set up an online fundraising page and is already more than three-quarters of the way to his initial target of £1,000.
“If I can get to £1,500, I will be more than happy,” he said.
Training starts in earnest next month to make sure he is in top shape for the cycle challenge.
“I have ridden the Coast to Coast in a day – pre-kids – and I run regularly but I don’t cycle as regularly as I used to.
“I am one of three representing the charity in the 100-mile ride and the other two are already whippets,” he joked.
To support Mark’s fundraising effort, go to www.peoples fundraising.com/fundraising /mark-s-fundraiser-for-tofs-ride-london-2024.
It is the second fundraiser Mark has undertaken inspired by the support the family has received.
He completed the 34-mile Way of Life Walk and raised £2,800 for the Sick Children’s Trust as a thank-you after the family stayed at the charity’s emergency accommodation in Newcastle while Caleb was in hospital.
