A father and former cyclist will be getting back in the saddle to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital as a 'thank you' for saving his daughter’s life.
Mike Christophers, 34, of Nurserymans Road, New Southgate, will be taking part in the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 in August in aid of the children's hospital.
His daughter Alice was born in 2006 with a life-threatening abdominal hernia, but thanks to round-the-clock care from the Great Ormond Street Hospital’s nurses and doctors she survived repeated respiratory and cardiac arrests.
Mr Christophers said: "Alice was treated at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital for ten months, 87 days of which were spent in the intensive care unit.
"It was incredibly difficult, but we had a lot of support and Great Ormond Street was incredible.
"Alice also had a respiratory defect called tracheobronchomalacia and a heart defect known as a vascular ring, and had 14 corrective procedures performed on her abdomen, trachea and heart.
"Her final operation, shortly before her fourth birthday, marked the end of a rather difficult part of our lives."
Mr Christophers hopes to raise £1,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity to say a special thank you.
He has been cycling around 50 miles every week in preparation for the big race, which he hopes to complete in less than five-and-a-half hours.
He said: "There’s no question that I will finish the race, it’s just a matter of time.
"I was born into a cycling family, but I stopped when I was a teenager. I got back into it after Alice was born and it combines with helping a great cause."
To support Mr Christophers visit www.justgiving.com/Mike-Christophers or to get involved in the Prudential RideLondon on August 3 to 4, visit www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk
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