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Stortford dad and his friend running from London to Paris for Go, Team Elmo!




Two dads are running six marathons in five days between London and Paris to raise £8,500 towards a Bishop's Stortford toddler's life-changing treatment.

Keith Spicer, of Thorley Hill, Bishop's Stortford, and Grant Morris, both 37, set off from Marble Arch in central London on Thursday (March 21) and aim to arrive at the Arc De Triomphe in Paris on Monday (March 25).

Keith Spicer, Elmo Michelson and Nick Michelson (8000155)
Keith Spicer, Elmo Michelson and Nick Michelson (8000155)

By taking on the 160-mile journey, the pair hope to raise £8,000 for Go, Team Elmo!, a charity set up by a Stortford family to provide state-of-the-art medical care for their little boy.

The St Michael's Mead toddler, Elliot 'Elmo' Michelson, was born six weeks prematurely in May 2015. His mum and dad, Sophie and Nick, believe his blood sugars became so dangerously low that he suffered a brain injury.

Doctors told the Michelsons it was unlikely Elmo would reach his first birthday, but the strong-willed and bubbly little boy defied all the odds. Last November, he was named joint winner of the Child of Courage category at the inaugural Indies awards, hosted by the Bishop's Stortford Independent.

While there is no cure for a brain injury, Elmo's family continue to strive to get him the best possible treatment to reduce the impact of his condition, so Keith and Grant decided to take on an epic challenge to give them a financial boost.

Grant Morris (8000159)
Grant Morris (8000159)

"We've known Nick for ages and become good friends over the last couple of years," Keith said. "My youngest is the same age as Elmo."

Keith lives with wife Heather and their sons, Xander, 6, and Charlie, 3. He has been friends with Grant since they grew up in Thorley Park and attended Richard Whittington Primary School before moving on to The Bishop's Stortford High School.

Grant now lives in Southport, Merseyside, with wife Leanne and daughters Bailey, 16, and Gracie, 8.

Because of the distance and the fact that they both have families and full-time jobs – Keith works for finance broker CF Corporate and Grant is a police officer – the pair do not often get the chance to see each other. Running an average of 32 miles a day together will give them ample time to catch up.

To sponsor the pair, who have almost reached their fundraising target, visit their JustGiving page.



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