Dad runs London Marathon as bear to say thanks for daughter's treatment at GOSH

A music master from Norfolk will be running the London marathon again this year to raise money for the hospital where his daughter's being treated for a brain tumour.

Ashley Grote, who works at Norwich Cathedral, will run the course dressed as Bernard the Bear, the mascot of Great Ormond Street Hospital.

He's raised more than £100,000 for the London children's hospital since he first ran the race in 2015 shortly after his daughter was diagnosed.

Emily has undergone many treatments at the hospital and this summer she had to have an operation to remove most of her tumour. 

Her father says she's making a good recovery but has lost all her sight as a result of the surgery.

Ashley says it's especially poignant that this year's London Marathon medal will be in Braille.

Emily was first diagnosed with a craniopharyngioma - a rare form of brain tumour - back in June 2014, at the age of 3. She has since undergone multiple surgeries at Great Ormond Street Hospital, as well as Proton Beam therapy in Jacksonville, Florida.

Her father says the family feel privileged and humbled to have received such exceptional care and support from the team at GOSH.

The race on October 3 will be Ashley's 6th London Marathon in aid of the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity.

He first ran the race dressed as a bear in 2018.

This year he'll also be joined by his sister, Helen, Emily's aunt.

Emily has a Team Gosh fundraising page and a fundraising page for this year's marathon.