Ashley Grote (Hf 95) has raised over £89,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital in London (GOSH) after his daughter Emily was diagnosed in June 2014 with a rare form of brain tumour.
After multiple surgeries and a course of proton beam therapy in the USA, Emily has been cared for by the teams at GOSH, who not only provide the very best medical provision, but support the whole family in many different ways. Whilst her tumour has not gone away, her condition is stable and she attends GOSH for frequent scans and clinics, as she contends with all the complications that arise from her condition, including being partially sighted and dependent on hormone replacement medication.
Despite not claiming to be much of a sportsman whilst at Uppingham, Ashley did come 2nd in ‘The Routh’! He completed his first London Marathon in 2015 to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital, as a small token of thanks for all that they were doing for Emily. Since then, he’s run five London Marathons, raising over £89,000 for this important charity. In 2017 he ran dressed in the official mascot of Great Ormond Street – Bernard the Bear – in the hottest London Marathon on record! The last marathon in 2020 had to be ‘virtual’, due to COVID-19 and he ran the 26-mile distance along the Marriott’s Way in Norfolk, finishing at Norwich Cathedral where he works as the Master of Music.
Anyone interested in reading more about Emily’s journey or even donating to her fund can visit www.justgiving.com/teams/emilygrote
The OU Association is pleased to support charitable activities through the OU Charity Fund, please email the team: [email protected] with your story.
