In August 2020 I was cycling home on my mountain bike and the front wheel caught the edge of a culvert near our house throwing me headfirst into the back of a wall. A scan revealed I had broken my back in 5 places, a cracked neck bone, broken ribs, broken nose, smashed up face and a punctured lung. I've always been very sporty so the first thing I thought after I realised my legs were still moving is whether I would ever get back on a bike or run again.

The damage was serious enough to need metalwork all down my spine which had to stay in place whilst I healed. During this time I did a huge amount of walking and after 3 months could manage slow jogs to stay active. Once the metalwork was taken out a year later I started slowly back to jogging again after another 3 months.

In 2020 I had had a place to run in the London Marathon but COVID put paid to that and the following year I was having my 2nd surgery.

I finally lined up in April 2023 and although I had trained well I wasn't expecting to run 3 hours 11 minutes as a 58 year old. It's a time many younger people with no issues would have been proud of so I'd like to give thanks to the treatment of the neurosurgery unit at St George's and skill of Mr Papadopoulos to put me together again and I just hope this gives some reassurance and hope to anyone going through such major surgery that you can get better and get back to the things you love doing.

Ruth Hutton

Less than 2 weeks ago I received the devastating news that my dear friend and ex work colleague, Paul Jones, had sadly passed away after suffering a bleed on the brain whilst playing football. He spent time in St George's Hospital in Tooting but sadly couldn't recover. The Neurosciences Research Foundation aim to help provide funding for research into the diagnosis and treatment of neurosurgical conditions predominantly at St George's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and St George's University of London.

I was already signed up to this 10k race but have decided instead of going for a PB I am going to don the Batman costume in homage to the 192 party days AND wear a Brentford FC baseball cap, which will be more of a challenge for a die hard Cambridge fan!

Hazel Baughan (Event: The Duxford Dash, on 17 October 2021)

In March 2013 a near tragic accident happened when a telegraph pole fell and landed on Nick Fletcher's head causing massive damage to his skull and severe trauma to his brain. He was rushed to the Atkinson Morley Unit at St George‘s Hospital where he was operated on by a team of neurosurgeons who removed a third of his skull to allow for the dangerous swelling. He was extremely ill and his family were warned that people do not normally survive head traumas of this severity.

However as a result of the skill, care and dedication of the whole team, led by Henry Marsh, he started to recover. A few weeks later he was allowed home, having gained a titanium plate in his skull, after which he continued to make the most extraordinary recovery. He returned to work, very gradually, and finally full time to a company who could not have been more supportive. He is now married and has a young daughter.

To express their eternal gratitude to the neurosurgical team for saving Nick‘s life, his family and friends raised over £220,000 for the Neurosciences Research Foundation. This particular fundraising was known as the Fletcher Fellowship Fund and specifically used to support cutting-edge and life-changing research in order to alleviate the swelling around the spinal cord at the time of a chronic injury. This team is being led by Marios Papadopoulos. We are absolutely delighted that this research will shortly be trialled, both in the UK and Europe. Nick, his family and friends wish Marios and his team every success.

When Alan Akhgar arrived in A&E in October 2012 the outlook did not look good. He had suffered a brain aneurysm and had to undergo a craniotomy and excision carried out by consultant neurosurgeon, Mr Marios Papadopoulos. Despite the bleak outlook, Alan made a complete recovery. A few weeks after his operation, Alan had left hospital and few months later he got married to his fiancée Jo. As a sign of appreciation, Alan and Jo completed a sponsored half marathon raising money for the Neurosciences Research Foundation. They raised almost £6,000 for the foundation and the funds are going to go towards research into spinal cord injury.

Alan said of his time at St George’s: “Mr Papadopoulos and the neurosurgery team saved my life. From surgery to recovery to rehabilitation I’ve received unbelievable care.”