Robbie Laidlaw, business development director at Genuine Dining who last year rowed across the Atlantic for Hospitality Action is now set to compete in a more personal charitable challenge. Laidlaw will run the London marathon next month raising vital funds for the British Heart Foundation.
His son Gray was born with Down Syndrome just before he set out on his epic rowing adventure, and Robbie aims to raise awareness of the condition as well as research funds into congenital heart conditions.
His London marathon fundraising campaign was launched on 21 March, World Down Syndrome Day, and has already raised over £4,000.
Gray was born with partial atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) – a condition common in babies with Down Syndrome. AVSD occurs when there are holes between the right and left chambers of the heart – and which will require surgery at the Royal Brompton Hospital, London.
About half of all children with Down Syndrome have AVSD.
Robbie and his partner Kiri want to raise awareness of Down Syndrome, with all its challenges, and to champion people with learning disabilities.
Last year, Robbie raised over £300,000 for Hospitality Action by rowing the Atlantic – an epic journey of some 3,000 miles from the Canaries to Antigua.
He completed the row in 38 days, surviving, blistering heat, hallucinations and a capsizing, with his colleague, Chris Mitchell, from Genuine Dining, a leading contract catering company.
They were competing against some 40 other boats and finished 5th overall. Most boats had crews of three, four or five – and Robbie and Chris came first in the pairs category.
The scale of their epic voyage is underlined by the fact that more people have scaled Everest than rowed the Atlantic.
“We didn’t know before Gray was born that he had Down Syndrome and our focus now is to care for him and support all his developmental and other needs,” said Robbie.
“Running the London marathon on April 27 is our way of saying thank you to all the healthcare professionals who have cared for Gray and to raise money for a very deserving charity.
“We also hope to raise awareness about Down Syndrome, and dispel some of the myths, so that kids with the condition can attend their local mainstream school and find fulfilling work – living lives free from barriers, and welcomed within society,” he said.
Robbie had hoped to run a small part of the marathon with Gray in his pram, but the race organisers are not so keen. Instead, baby Gray will be at the start and finish to cheer his Dad on.
If you or anyone you know has been affected by Down Syndrome or congenital heart disease, please consider leaving a donation at Robbie’s JustGiving page.
