An amputee is edging closer to fulfilling his dream of walking without crutches as he plans surgery at Sheffield Children’s Hospital.
Sally Orange ran 31 half marathons in 31 days to ensure that nine-year-old Tony Hudgell could afford to travel from Kent to Sheffield Children’s Hospital, which he will have to do on a weekly basis after his ‘life changing’ surgery on the 14 March.
Sheffield is one of only two places in the world that could offer the surgery.
Ms Orange said: “His next surgery is going to be really tough, but you’ll see this young man’s fighting spirit shining through and understand why I want to help Tony and his family as much as possible.”
Tony’s surgery will enable him to walk without crutches, which he has never been able to do as he was abused as a baby and left 10 days in pain with broken bones, multi-organ failure and sepsis which resulted in him having to have both legs amputated at the age of two.
Tony’s mum, Paula Hudgell, said: “Sally is a very special lady who does much to help others. She is not only an ambassador for our charity but a wonderful friend who always looks out for others and inspires Tony too.”
Tony has also been fundraising himself, having raised £1.8 million for Evelina Children’s Hospital in London which ‘saved his life’.
Mrs Hudgell said: “We are so proud of his achievements. He’s a strong and determined boy which is what he needed to survive and overcome so much.”
He also raised another £200,000 for other charities and his own Tony Hudgell Foundation, which supports children who have suffered any form of abuse and provides them with therapy.
Tony raised the money from a walk in 2020 during lockdown and is now a Pride of Britain 2020 GMB Fundraiser.
Mrs Hudgell said: “We are so thankful to all our friends and family and all the other people we have never met but support Tony with their love and generosity and supporting all his challenges and charity commitments too.”
The surgery could only be carried out in two parts of the world, but luckily for Tony one of these two places was Sheffield’s children’s hospital.
Mrs Hudgell said: “It’s going to be a long road ahead, but I know my precious boy can do this.”
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