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Oxfordshire aunty running 5km everyday in May for charity
Tamara ‘Tats’ Ward from Middle Barton in West Oxfordshire is taking on the challenge for Dravet Syndrome UK.
Ms Ward’s seven-year-old nephew, Dominic lives with Dravet Syndrome, a rare and devastating neurological condition which encompasses severe epilepsy, learning disability and a spectrum of associated difficulties.
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Dravet Syndrome occurs in around one in 15,000 live births in the UK and until Dominic was diagnosed in 2018, Ms Ward had never heard of the condition.
Ms Ward is not just taking on the challenge on her own, but she is also leading 280 people to do the same.
She came up with the #EveryDayinMay4Dravet challenge during the pandemic, after Dominic ended up in intensive care.
The runners will end up completing almost four marathons in total over the course of the month.
Ms Ward said: “Finding out about Dominic’s condition was such a shock.
“At first all I could think about was how I could support my sister.
“During the pandemic, it was so hard for my sister and other families living with Dravet Syndrome. They were so isolated.
“Dominic had his worst ever seizure and was in intensive care. We couldn’t visit him in hospital or be there for my sister. It was devastating.
“I remember going out for a long run to clear my head. When I came back, I said to my husband, ‘Right, I can’t sit and do nothing. We need to start raising money for Dravet Syndrome UK’.
“And I came up with my idea of ‘Running 5k every day in May for Dravet’. We thought it would just be a handful of our closest friends and family, but we had around 40 runners that first year.”
Since then, the campaign has gone from strength to strength, reaching from Oxfordshire, across the UK, and as far afield as Finland, US, India and Australia.
Thank you @surreycricket, Matt Dunn & all involved with #EveryDayinMay4Dravet for a very special day @ the @KiaUK Oval yesterday, to raise awareness & funds for @DravetUK.
You can read more about the day at 💜@HomeOfCricket @Middlesex_CCC @CountyChamp pic.twitter.com/dddsBIB8Bi— Dravet Syndrome UK (@DravetUK) May 12, 2023
It’s also become a family-friendly challenge, with 50 children taking part this year running a slightly shorter 2K.
Among them are two of Ms Ward’s children, Max, aged 10, and Amelie, aged eight, who were very keen to get involved and have helped to rally local schools to also support the challenge.
So far, Ms Ward has raised over £170,000 for the charity Dravet Syndrome UK, with this year’s #EveryDayinMay4Dravet campaign on track to meet its £50,000 target.
As the only UK charity dedicated to supporting those with this rare condition, Dravet Syndrome UK provides much-needed practical, emotional, and financial support for families.
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The charity also provides education and information for professionals and funds research into the condition.
Galia Wilson, chair of trustees at Dravet Syndrome UK, said: “It’s so exciting for this challenge to have grown each year, being taken up by families across the UK.
“Tamara really is an inspiration and we’re so grateful for her dedication to raising funds and awareness of Dravet Syndrome.
“As a small charity with no government funding, all donations received make a huge difference in helping us to continue our vital work supporting and empowering families, educating professionals and funding research.
“We’re so thankful to her and to everyone who is taking part or digging deep for #EveryDayinMay4Dravet.”
