Olympic medalist James Cracknell makes poignant visit to children with brain injuries
Double Olympic gold medalist and TV adventurer James Cracknell made a special visit to The Children’s Trust, Tadworth to meet children affected by brain injuries. The British rowing champion was given a tour of the Trust’s brain injury rehabilitation centre where he met children staying there for treatment and their families.
The Children’s Trust is a national charity that provides intensive rehabilitation to children from anywhere in the UK who may have suffered a brain injury as a result of a tragic accident or serious illness. James Cracknell will be running the Virgin London Marathon in aid of The Children’s Trust on 22nd April.
It was a poignant visit for Cracknell, who suffered a serious brain injury himself in 2010 when he was hit by a truck whilst cycling across the USA for a television series.
One of the young people that James Cracknell met was 23 year old Alfie Russell, who was himself severely injured when he was knocked off his bike at the age of 9. Alfie went on to make a remarkable recovery at The Children’s Trust and has since run the London Marathon, climbed Mt Kilimanjaro and made numerous speeches about his experience of brain injury in aid of the Trust.
James Cracknell said: “It was inspirational to see the work that goes on here at The Children’s Trust and to meet all the children who are working so hard in their rehabilitation. When I’m running the London Marathon next month the inspirational children, their amazing parents and the phenomenal staff who work alongside them will never be far from my thoughts."
The Children’s Trust is the 2012 charity partner of BMW UK, for whom James Cracknell is an ambassador. He will be running the Virgin London Marathon as part of ‘BMW Performance Team’ alongside 18 BMW employees.
Photos kindly supplied by Andy Newbold
James Cracknell meets 15 year old Danielle, who is staying at The Children’s Trust for rehabilitation following a brain injury.
The Children’s Trust
The Children's Trust, Tadworth is a national charity providing care, education and therapy for children with multiple disabilities and complex health needs, and rehabilitation services to children with an acquired brain injury. The Trust runs the UK’s largest residential rehabilitation centre for paediatric acquired brain injury and has an on-site special school, The School for Profound Education, which publishes The Profound Education Curriculum for children and young people with profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD). www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk
