A man who was told as a teenager that he should never run again is now planning to go 100 miles without stopping to raise money for his cousin who can’t crawl, walk or talk. Alex Mackay is raising money for his seven-year-old cousin Albert Said, from Brentwood who has an extremely rare genetic disorder.
Mr Mackay, 30, is a plumber by trade who was once a pro boxer. At the age of 19, he was told he could no longer practice boxing and should severely restrict his exercise when a medical exam found he had subaortic stenosis, a heart condition.
But now after several years of intense exercise, and ignoring warnings, Mr Mackay is now planning to run across the Brecon Beacons for his cousin. Albert has the extremely rare genetic disorder Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome. He cannot crawl, walk or talk and relies on adults to meet all his daily needs.
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Mr Mackay said: “At that age, you pay no attention to the doctor. So I started doing half marathons, then marathons, then ultramarathons and more. Now, at my yearly check-up, the doctors say the issue is stable and should carry on doing what I’m doing.
“My son Ollie is only three weeks younger than Albert and as they’ve grown, it’s heartbreaking to see the difference in their development. But it got me thinking about how frustrating it was when I couldn’t do what I wanted to do, and how much more severe this is for Albert.
“I’ve done lots of marathons and ultra-marathons, but this is my biggest challenge yet. I’m hoping to complete the 100-mile run which includes 20,000 ft of elevation in less than 30 hours. While I’ve always done them just for myself in the past, it made sense to try to raise some money for charity this time, and for a charity close to home. Albert’s parents Carly and Brad do so much for Albert, I want to do what I can to help.”
Albert’s mum Carly, 35, an office administrator, said: “Albert will always need support from different therapists and rely on equipment to help him become as independent as possible. We have set our initial goal at £10,000, which may sound like a lot, but his annual physio sessions alone cost £4,420 each year, and costs are ongoing.”
Albert’s family is being supported by children’s charity Tree of Hope which helps families fundraise for children like Albert with healthcare needs and provides charity status to benefit from gift aid, and corporate support while also providing donor reassurance. Tree of Hope CEO Gill Gibb said: ‘We are delighted to be supporting the Said family with their fundraising and wish Alex all the best with his impressive challenge.”
You can donate to Alex’s challenge at his fundraiser by clicking here, or donate directly to Albert’s fund by clicking here.
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