11-year-old to take on 10k run for Great Ormond Street Hospital

An Easebourne 11-year-old has raised more than £5,000 for a hospital charity as he prepares to take on a 10k run at the end of the month.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Rocco Heggie, a year-six pupil at Dorset House School in Bury, was born with a extreme cleft lip and palate and has received support from Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) since he was a baby.

When the latest lockdown was announced Rocco decided he wanted to do something to make a difference and decided to raise money for GOSH.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

On January 31 he will be doing a 10k run around Cowdray Park, close to his family home in Easebourne Street.

Rocco Heggie is doing a 10k run around Cowdray Park to raise money for Great Ormond Street HospitalRocco Heggie is doing a 10k run around Cowdray Park to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital
Rocco Heggie is doing a 10k run around Cowdray Park to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital

Rocco said: “I want to be able to give back to Great Ormond Street as I have been a patient since I was born and the cleft team have helped me in so many ways, and I wanted to say a big thank you.

“I hope the money I raise will help support other children!”

Rocco, who is a member of Midhurst Rugby Club, has been training for his run during the lockdown with help from his parents, Iain and Amelia, and his older siblings, Coco and Bruno.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Amelia and Iain said: “We are so thrilled that Rocco decided to embark on this charity 10km run.

Rocco Heggie doing some night training for his 10k run around Cowdray Park to raise money for Great Ormond Street HospitalRocco Heggie doing some night training for his 10k run around Cowdray Park to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital
Rocco Heggie doing some night training for his 10k run around Cowdray Park to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital

“He decided to raise money for GOSH on his own accord which makes it much more poignant.

“He has always been a determined young man from an early age, despite the challenges he has had to face, and having a personal experience has meant he can really relate to this amazing cause.

“Rocco has been so lucky to have access, for free, to the best treatment, and will do for as long as he needs it.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We sometimes think about what life would have been like had he been born in a poorer country, as his parents, we find this hard to contemplate.

Rocco Heggie training for his 10k run for Great Ormond Street Hospital with his brother Bruno HeggieRocco Heggie training for his 10k run for Great Ormond Street Hospital with his brother Bruno Heggie
Rocco Heggie training for his 10k run for Great Ormond Street Hospital with his brother Bruno Heggie

“We are so grateful for the support and care that Rocco has received from this amazing hospital.”

Laura Savory, deputy director of community fundraising at GOSH Charity, said: “On behalf of everyone at GOSH Charity, I would like to say a huge thank you to Rocco for his incredible fundraising efforts – all the money raised will make such a difference to seriously ill children from across the UK who are treated at GOSH.

“Rocco’s generosity is inspiring and means so much at a time when the hospital needs the charity’s support more than ever.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We would like to wish Rocco all the best of luck for his 10km run.”

Iain and Rocco Heggie outside Great Ormond Street Hospital a few years agoIain and Rocco Heggie outside Great Ormond Street Hospital a few years ago
Iain and Rocco Heggie outside Great Ormond Street Hospital a few years ago

To donate to Rocco’s fundraiser for GOSH visit his JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/iain-heggie.

---

A message from the Editor, Gary Shipton:

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news, I am asking you to please purchase a copy of our newspapers.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspapers.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

Stay safe, and best wishes.