More than 2,600 Santas took part in a fun-run on Clapham Common to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital yesterday.
The runners completed a 5k or 10k course for London Santa Dash, organised by Great Ormond Street Children’s Charity.
Teddy Tulloh, 3, and his family from Hemel Hempstead, started the race with Great Ormond Street Hospital charity ambassador, and 2016 Strictly Coming Dancing winner, Ore Oduba.
Before he was born Teddy was diagnosed with a congenital heart condition called hypoplastic left heart syndrome and has had multiple operations at Great Ormond Street.
Teddy’s mother Claire, 32, said: “If it wasn’t for Great Ormond Street then Teddy wouldn’t be here.
“The care, the staff, the play team, the doctors and nurses, the cleaners. We’re so grateful to everybody, it changed our life, and saved his.”
Laura Savory, head of community fundraising for Great Ormond Street Children’s Charity hoped that the event would raise £280,000 for the charity.
Ms Savory said: “It’s such a privilege to work for an organisation where our patients are at the heart of our fundraising, so we are so lucky and so proud to have Teddy start the event for us and hopefully providing lots of inspiration for everybody.”
The money raised will go towards the hospital’s greatest needs such as redeveloping the hospital to treat more children, purchasing specialist paediatric equipment, and funding welfare programmes that teach children about their treatments and procedures through play.
