Southsea boy with cerebral palsy, 3, takes on Mini Great South Run to raise money for treatment

Rudy Bingham, 3, will be joined by 35 family members and friends participating in all the events this weekend.

He walks with splints and a walker and needs medication three times a day to relax his muscles.

The family are being supported by children’s charity Tree of Hope, which helps families fundraise for children like Rudy with medical needs and that need lifechanging treatments.

Mum Fiona, 35, said: ‘We are all very excited about the Great South Run.

‘I’ll be pushing Rudy in his Spiderman wheelchair and we all have Rooting for Rudy vests to wear.’

Rudy was born at 42 weeks, and his mum and dad Rhys, 37, noticed he was unable to walk without holding on to something.

He also found it difficult to walk with flat feet.

It was confirmed Rudy had cerebral palsy during the pandemic in 2021, while Fiona was pregnant with son Asa, now aged one.

Rudy has to have daily physio sessions and botox injections in his calf to help maintain his range of movements.

The family hopes their beloved son’s selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) surgery happen next summer via the NHS.

The procedure will help improve Rudy’s movement and decrease his pain.

Two years of intensive physiotherapy will be required after the surgery, which has to be paid for privately.

Fundraising is gathering pace, with the family gaining over £5,000 so far.

Rhys, a navel engineer, performed 2,500 burpees in 12 days.

He and his colleagues will be taking on the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge to get Rudy a vibration plate to use before the surgery to helps his strength and movement.

SEE ALSO: Portsmouth people flock to take part in the Great South Run to raise money for charity

The family’s end goal is £20,000, and Tree of Hope will be supporting them throughout.

Fiona found out about the charity from Jenny Evans, a midwife who cared for Asa.

The physiotherapist with the local Long Covid service added: ‘We have been bowled over by all the support we’ve had with our fundraising. Like any parents, all we want is the best for Rudy, and it really helps that we feel we have so many people behind us.’

Gill Gibb, Tree of Hope CEO, said: ‘We’re delighted to be helping the Bingham family with their fundraising again.’