Portsmouth dad to 'climb' Everest on his stairs as thank you to NHS for saving his son's life

Hudson Trevithick from Portsmouth was born with bronchomalacia and one kidney. He spent the majority of the first two years of his life at Southampton General Hospital and now aged six years old, he has undergone five open heart surgeries.

Dad Andy has decided to walk 'climb’ Everest by walking 319 flights of stairs every day for two weeks to raise £1,000 for the NHS Charities Together with sons Hudson and Jayden, 10, also joining in for a few flights.

The 39-year-old said: ‘We owe everything to the NHS because they save our son's life everyday. We want to help them to say thank you for what they are doing for us and for what they are going through now.’

Mum Lisa, who worked in the paediatric department at Queen Alexandra Hospital before becoming a full time carer for Hudson, added: ‘I feel for every member of staff who is putting their lives at risk by going to work at the moment.’

The family’s journey with the NHS began the day Hudson was born at Queen Alexandra Hospital.

Labourer Andy explained: ‘We were getting ready to go home and they were doing some final tests and they found that he didn’t have a pulmonary artery and we were whisked off to Southampton General Hospital.

‘We spent the first two year’s of Hudson’s life basically in hospital and the staff became like family to us. He has had five open heart surgeries which can go on for hours and the teams are amazing.

‘I am not fit enough for this challenge but the pain I will go through will be nothing compared to what Hudson has to go through. I want to thank every NHS staff member for what they do for my son and what they are doing at the moment for everyone else in what is a very difficult time.’

To donate visit gofundme.com/f/climbing-mount-everest-by-stairs-in-lockdown