Sheffield student in heartfelt charity cash bid

A Sheffield student who overcame a serious neurological condition is pounding the streets in aid of a major city hospital charity.

Tom Wainwright, aged 26, is gearing up for this year´s SIG Insulations Sheffield Half Marathon and is hoping to raise hundreds of pounds for Neurocare to thank the hospital which cured him of epilepsy.

Neurosciences student Tom was treated by doctors at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield using the very latest neurological equipment, funded by Neurocare last year.

Tom said: "I had my first seizure at the age of 11, before entering a `latent period´ where I showed no real symptoms at all. Then, without warning and just as I was starting university for the first time in Liverpool, the seizures came back.

"The timing was horrendous and it had a devastating effect on my studies. Not only was I having to deal with leaving home for the first time and the stress of deadlines, exams and coursework, I also had to cope with the effects of a really serious medical condition and the nasty side effects of the drugs used to control it.

"In the end it all became too much and I was forced to defer my studies twice, whilst doctors carried out countless tests to detect exactly what was causing the seizures.

"The last seven years have been particularly tough for me and it was not until I was referred to a Neurologist at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield and given a powerful MRI scan that a cause for my epilepsy was discovered. The scan confirmed for the first time what was causing my seizures. They were the result of a neural tube deficit, a rare brain defect that I have apparently had since birth".

Using the hospitals telemetry equipment, my Neurosurgeon was able to identify and remove the small area of affected brain tissue.
Neurocare, which raises money for the neurosciences department at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, donated £70,000 to the hospital´s video telemetry department.

By measuring brainwave patterns, video telemetry allows doctors to securely diagnose epilepsy and localise an area of the brain to operate on.
Tom, who is from Scunthorpe, said: "The results have been amazing - my life has changed dramatically, for the first time in a very long time I am leading a `normal´ life. I am now in my second year studying neurosciences at the University of Sheffield, given my particular interest in the subject based on my own experiences.

"Eleven months after my operation, I am now seizure free, have no nasty side effects from drugs and have passed all my exams, finally enabling me to fulfil my full academic potential.

"Whilst I was in the Royal Hallamshire for my operation, I heard about Neurocare and the work they do to support the neurosciences department at the hospital. In particular, I discovered they had helped fund the video telemetry unit - the very equipment which has helped me towards my miraculous recovery.

"Now I want to do everything I can to support the charity. My entry in this year´s Sheffield Half Marathon is hopefully just the first event of many I´ll be planning to raise funds for the charity. I´ve been training hard, three or four times a week, and want to post a good time to thank the people who´ve sponsored me so far."

Professor Matthew Holley, the Head of Department in Biomedical Science at the University of Sheffield, has been amazed by the progress Tom has made.
Matthew said: "When Tom joined us in 2005 I was really concerned about his ability to complete his degree. He was having regular seizures which could put him out of action for more than a week at a time.

"But by having the tenacity to pursue treatment and the courage to undergo surgery, he has changed his life. Within eight weeks of the operation he was back on campus and the transformation was unbelievable. Now I can´t wait to see him graduate in little over a year´s time."

To sponsor Tom visit: www.justgiving.com/thomaswainwright

This story can be viewed on the following websites

http://www.sheffieldmarathon.com/community/news/news.php?nNewsID=937

http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/mediacentre/2009/1207.html

http://www.communitynewswire.press.net/