Grateful Father joins Glow Run to expand our Emergency Department!

A father who has completed more than 10 running races to thank Sheffield Children’s Hospital is urging others to back the effort to expand the Emergency Department.

Luke Horgan was born with neo-natal meningitis which caused a complex brain injury. Due to the severity of the injury, Luke suffers from a host of complications, including cerebral palsy, learning difficulties and epilepsy.

The family have visited almost every department at Sheffield Children’s Hospital with Luke over the last few years, ranging from monthly check-ups, therapy sessions at the Ryegate Centre, to entering our Emergency Department by ambulance.

Dad Bob has since dedicated himself to thanking the staff for Luke’s care at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, running in over ten events and raising more than £2,200. Their next event will be Theo’s Glow Run, a 5K festive fun run around Endcliffe Park.

Bob said “Theo’s Glow Run is the highlight of our running calendar. Luke loves seeing all the lights running through the park and on the runners. We’ve even managed to convince his Mum to join us this year!”

The proceeds from the event will go towards the appeal for an expanded Emergency Department. It is a regional Major Trauma Centre, treating children from across South Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire. Built to see a maximum of 32,000 patients a year, but now sees 60,000 every 12 months.

At peak times, this often means the waiting areas are overcrowded which causes particular problems for patients like Luke:

Bob said: “We need plenty of space for Luke’s specialist wheelchair. Expanding the Emergency Department to have more space would also help to reduce Luke’s anxiety, as he can be easily startled in busy or crowded areas”.

Under the plans, the waiting room would expand to four times its current size, with an additional triage assessment area and more treatment, consultancy and examination rooms. Find out more here.