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A TEENAGER who underwent spinal surgery at the Oxford Children's Hospital is lacing up her running shoes to help fundraise for it.

Rosie East, 16, will join hundreds of others for the five-mile Oxford Mail OX5 run, set to take place at Blenheim Palace on March 26.

The event will raise money to support the important work of the children's hospital, based at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Headington.

It is the first time Gosford Hill School pupil Miss East, who is studying for her A-Levels, will be old enough to take part.

In November 2013, she underwent seven-hours of corrective surgery to treat scoliosis, a condition that causes abnormal curvature of the spine.

The teenager, from Kidlington, said: "It was quite scary going in there for the surgery but all the staff there were so kind to me and couldn't do enough.

"I was in quite a lot of pain but their support really helped me through it.

"Now I want to do my bit and help raise some money for them."

Miss East stayed in the children's hospital for about six days, accompanied for most of that time by mum Samantha. Due to complications after the surgery she also returned soon afterwards for another week.

Mrs East said hospital nurses and other support workers were 'just fantastic'.

The 47-year-old added: "As a parent it was difficult because it was a major operation and you are putting your child's life in someone else's hands.

"But all the staff were just fantastic really – and that means everything. It made it all bearable."

Mum-of-two Mrs East said the facilities at Ronald McDonald House Oxford, which provides free 'home away from home' accommodation for families with children in hospital, were also 'really helpful'.

Along with her husband Nick, 46, and 19-year-old daughter Megan, she will be joining Rosie to take part in the OX5 Run as the family team 'Rosie's Rockets'.

Mr East previously took part in 2014's run, the one after his daughter's surgery.

Mrs East added: "This time Rosie has been the driving force getting us all involved, she is old enough now and really wants to give something back."

Money from the OX5 Run will go towards more toys and games and will also feed into the hospital's tenth anniversary appeal for more outdoor play areas and a new 62-bedroom Ronald McDonald House facility.

The event is being sponsored by recruitment firm Allen Associates for the ninth year.

Last year's run saw a record-breaking £115,000 raised, which has already been spent on a sensory room to educate and entertain children in its high dependency unit, equipment to stabilise premature babies and a specialist nurse for children with severe asthma.

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