Kinlochleven teacher’s marathon goal shows diagnosis is "not the end"
A disabled Kinlochleven teacher is set to run the London Marathon to highlight that diagnoses like his own are “not the end of someone’s life".
Gregor Campbell has revealed how he survived a devastating brain haemorrhage at just six months old, which left him with the lifelong condition hydrocephalus — a disability that affects the brain and how it functions.
Despite the challenges associated with his diagnosis, the 24-year-old has set out on a journey to run 42.2km while raising funds for Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland (SBHS).
The primary school teacher admitted that he only discovered his passion for running a year ago, adding that he hopes to highlight a number of successful people living with the condition.
Gregor said: “I am a great believer in you don’t know if you can do something until you try.
“For people who say they don’t believe they can do something because of their disability, I would say; ’Just have a go’.
“If it doesn’t work or you feel it affects you, try an alternative.’”
With the support of both his family and school community, Gregor hopes to raise £2,500 for the charity, which aims to help families impacted by the condition.
He said: “I don’t think a lot of people realise just how serious the condition is. If the shunt gets blocked, what they don’t understand is that it causes an increase in cerebrospinal fluid in the head, and if there is too much, it can cause the head to swell.
“With me, I get a severe headache, but there can be other effects like mood swings, vision changes and absence seizures. I have experienced all of those.”
People with hydrocephalus can experience social, emotional, cognitive and behavioural difficulties and a blockage, without medical intervention, can cause severe neurological damage.
As well as raising funds, Gregor says he wants to encourage parents to look deeper and see who people living with the disability really are.
He added: “Parents really need to be aware that a diagnosis of hydrocephalus is not the end of someone’s life.”
The 24-year-old’s commitment to raising awareness for parents stems from his own parents’ experiences when he was young.
His parents were told “everything under the sun” about what kind of life lay ahead for him, Gregor said.
He added: “My dad tells the story of how, when I was being taken from my home in Oban to a children’s hospital, a paramedic was telling my mum what would happen ‘if he makes it to Glasgow’.
“I have come so far since then — when I was younger, hydrocephalus affected me much more than it does now.
“At school, I wasn’t allowed to do any contact sports. When it came to holidays, I wasn’t allowed to fly abroad because my mum and dad were concerned about what medical care I would receive.”
While Gregor still experiences week-long hospital stays when his shunt becomes blocked, it has a limited effect on his day-to-day life.
So far in his running journey, Gregor has already completed a 10km race for the charity and has been battling tough Highland conditions while training for the London event.
The Kinlochleven educator hopes to complete 36km before the big race on April 26.
A total of 46 supporters have contributed over £2,100 to his JustGiving page so far, leaving him just under £400 short of his goal.
Lawrence Cowan, SBHS CEO, stated the organisation was extremely grateful for Gregor’s efforts and could not wait to cheer him on.
He added: “Everyone with spina bifida and hydrocephalus deserves the chance to feel unstoppable, and Gregor demonstrates this perfectly.
“The money Gregor raises will power our work to provide opportunities for anyone with hydrocephalus or spina bifida who needs them.”
Set up in 1965, SBHS offers a network of social groups, as well as advice and wellbeing support to parents and those living with the condition.
More information on the organisation and details of Gregor’s journey so far can be found on his JustGiving page.
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