A Ripon Grammar School student who had to learn to walk and talk again following a devastating stroke has completed his first half marathon.
Tom Davies, 17, from Catterick, finished the Great North Run in two hours and 43 seconds, raising more than £1,000 for the hospital which helped save his life.
The boarding student had initially hoped simply to reach the finish line, two years and eight months after suffering an intracerebral haemorrhage during a swimming training session.
Tom said:
“I was just aiming to complete it but was over the moon to achieve that time.
“I may have to do it again to get under two hours now!”
Tom suffered a haemorrhagic stroke caused by a ruptured arteriovenous malformation when he was 14.
He was swimming with Richmond Dales Amateur Swimming Club in January 2024 when he noticed his fingers were not working properly and his stroke felt wrong.
Over the next 50 metres, his arm became increasingly difficult to move. When he climbed out of the pool, he tried to speak to his coach but was unable to find the words.
Tom was taken to James Cook University Hospital, where a CT scan revealed a bleed on his brain, before being transferred to the Great North Children’s Hospital in Newcastle.
He spent four days in intensive care and remained in hospital for around four months, receiving specialist physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
Tom initially had no movement on the right-hand side of his body. His recovery involved learning to walk and talk again, writing with his other hand and rebuilding his ability to process information.
He credits staff at the Great North Children’s Hospital with playing a pivotal role in his recovery.
Tom said:
“There were many exceptional nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and charity representatives who made it easier for me to succeed.
“Without this help, I would not be back on my journey to completing A-levels and looking forward to a future engineering career.”
Tom returned to Ripon Grammar School through a phased programme, with adjustments made to his timetable after he missed a significant amount of work ahead of his GCSEs.
Now in the sixth form, he is studying maths, chemistry and physics and hopes to pursue a career in mechanical or chemical engineering through university or a degree apprenticeship.
He has also returned to swimming, which helped him build the stamina needed to train for the Great North Run.
Tom gradually increased his running mileage over the summer while maintaining his swimming schedule and completing his Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition.
He has raised £1,152 for the Great North Children’s Hospital, exceeding his original target of £750.
Tom said:
“I am running the Great North Run as a way to raise money, inspire others and, overall, to say thank you for everything the hospital has done.”
His mother Rachel said:
“We are so proud of Tom. It was an emotional moment when he finished the run. It is amazing to think about how far he has come in the last two and a half years.
“Throughout the whole journey, he has had such determination. He has never felt sorry for himself, has pushed himself to achieve and has celebrated every time he has made progress.”
His father Robin said:
“While Tom’s positive attitude, resilience and determination have got him to where he is today, we are also so grateful to the Great North Children’s Hospital for everything they did for him.
“For Tom to now be able to run a half marathon and raise more than £1,000 for the hospital charity as a thank you is so special.”
Ripon Grammar School’s special educational needs coordinator Samina O’Brien said:
“School are so proud of the way Tom has handled his recovery.
“He has shown remarkable resilience, excellent progress over time, a sharp sense of humour and demonstrated what students can achieve when they set the bar high for themselves and refuse to give up in the face of adversity.”
Tom is now planning his next challenge and hopes to complete the 192-mile Coast to Coast Walk next year.
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