An eight-year-old boy has has gone to incredible lengths to raise money for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity after walking, running and cycling a staggering total of 100km over one month, and raising £300.

Oliver Rowles, from Rugeley, laced up his trainers and got on his bike to put himself through his paces to give something back to the hospital after he underwent a life-saving operation when he was just six-months-old.

As a baby Oliver was diagnosed with Craniosynostosis, a rare condition where the skull doesn't develop properly. In Oliver’s case, the bones that make up his skull had fused incorrectly and earlier than they should have done. Doctors waited until Oliver was a little older, but six months later, Oliver was admitted to Birmingham Children’s Hospital where, during a five-hour operation, surgeons carefully sectioned his skull into smaller pieces and rearranged them to allow his skull to flex and grow as it always should have done. Thankfully, the surgery ran without a hitch and after spending a week recovering on the hospital’s Neurosurgery ward, Oliver was allowed home.

Over eight years have passed since the surgery and Oliver has been able to lead a normal, active lifestyle. To express their gratitude, the family has taken to fundraising for the hospital. His mum Kate took on the Great Birmingham Half Marathon last year and now following in her footsteps, Oliver set his challenge and walked, ran and cycled along canals and through picturesque Cannock Chase. He kept up the challenge when he and his family went on a day trip to Dovedale in the Peak District.

Oliver said: “The doctors and nurses helped me so much when I was a baby so I wanted to do something to say thank you and help the hospital, especially now because I know the virus has made things harder for them.

“Some of my challenge was really hard when the weather was bad and it made me really tired but I thought about why I was doing it and it helped me to carry on.”

Miranda Williams, Head of Public Fundraising at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “It’s fantastic to hear how well Oliver is getting on, after his tough start to life, and so wonderful to know that his time with us has inspired such an incredible fundraising challenge!

“100km is a very long distance for little legs to cover, so we’re really grateful for Oliver’s grit and determination to reach his goal. The funds he’s raised will go on to help us do more for the 90,000 sick kids we treat every year.”

If you’d like to donate towards our COVID-19 Urgent Appeal you can do so here.