On Sunday 24th of April 2022, Craig Basnett and a group of friends took on a self-designed mammoth bike-ride challenge to raise money for the hospital that cared for his baby daughter after complications at birth.
In 2018, Craig’s daughter was born with a condition called hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain) due to a stroke during the late stages of pregnancy. Craig’s daughter then faced emergency brain surgery to fit a VP Shunt (small valve) permanently to her head, resulting in cerebral palsy in the right side of her body and susceptibility to seizures.
Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital provided Craig’s daughter with the care she needed in her early stages of life, and to repay that care Craig pledged to raise money for Ward 78 – the unit that cared for his family – by cycling between nince children’s hospitals across nine cities in just seven days.
The journey itself began at Glasgow Children’s Hospital, through Edinburgh, Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool, Cardiff, Great Ormond Street in London and Birmingham, before finishing off at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
The total distance of the ride from hospital to hospital worked out at a whopping 879 miles.
On the challenge, Craig said:
“From Day 1 the hospital and its staff couldn’t have done enough to put us at ease and ensure she got the best treatment possible. Over the last few years, she has had multiple stays back at the hospital for revisions and corrections of her Shunt and various other checks. She will potentially be there again many more times over the course of her childhood.
“For me, it has always been about doing something to give back to the hospital for their efforts to make sure she has been able to get to where she is today. Hence taking on this ride.
“The team and I realise the task ahead is massive but are looking forward to testing our body’s abilities. A small feat compared to what some of the children, this money will help, have to go through.”
Craig Basnett
Craig has so far raised just over £8,000 for the ward through the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity, with donations still rolling in.
If you would like to donate to help this fantastic cause please visit the Craig’s Children’s Hospital Charity Challenge here.
