Wheely wonderful wheelchair challenge helps Fraser say thank you to Sheffield Children’s Hospital

Fraser Lamb, aged 28, was born with myelomeningocele, the most severe type of spina bifida. This occurs when a baby’s spine and spinal cord do not develop properly in the womb, causing a gap in the spine.

The condition leaves tissue exposed on the baby’s back and, without the protective covering of skin, the spinal cord becomes further damaged with a very high risk of infection. He was immediately admitted to Sheffield Children’s for treatment.

Three weeks later, Fraser developed hydrocephalus, which is the build-up of fluid on the brain. The condition required surgery and the insertion of a shunt to drain the fluid into the abdomen, thereby relieving the pressure on his brain.

Fraser has had to return to Sheffield Children’s several times due to blockages, including requiring emergency life-saving surgery in 2004, when Fraser was just 12 years old.

Fraser’s mum Jan Lamb remembers: “From his first admission to his last, Fraser was very lucky to have such excellent care. The medical staff at Sheffield Children’s were some of the most caring and compassionate doctors we have ever met, they were second-to-none.”

It was his care that prompted Fraser to take on this ambitious challenge, which he has affectionally nicknamed ‘Roll on 2021’.

Fraser explains: “This challenge is all about trying to give something back to Sheffield Children’s and the staff that have done, and continue to do, so much for so many children and their families. During the first lockdown, I went out every day to get some exercise and as a family, we were going outside to ‘Clap for Carers’ every week. But I wanted to show my support for the NHS in a more practical way and as Sheffield Children’s will always have a special place in my heart, it was the obvious choice.”

Fraser’s challenge to cover 2,021 miles in 2021 to raise money for The Children’s Hospital Charity was soon born. He hopes to raise £1 a mile, or £2,021 over the course of the year. To support Fraser visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/fraser-lamb1

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