AN inspirational fundraiser who is battling an undiagnosed brain condition has vowed to resume his charity work as soon as he is fit.

Andrew Baker, who celebrated his 22nd birthday on Saturday, has raised more than £20,000 for Oxford Children’s Hospital (CHOX) after having brain surgery as a child.

But last year the Didcot man was forced to scale back his fundraising after debilitating symptoms, including intense headaches and loss of balance, returned.

On Monday the former St Birinus pupil returned to the John Radcliffe Hospital for further tests, but doctors are yet to determine the cause of his ill health.

Mr Baker has pledged to resume fundraising when he is well enough, and urged others to continue giving money to the children’s hospital.

He said: “The last year or so has been a huge roller-coaster of a ride.

“It has been a horrid time, but there are others who face much tougher things with much more serious illnesses. I have been pretty lucky so far.

“Hopefully the doctors will sort me out, and I will be back raising more funds for causes close to my heart in no time.

“I am determined to continue fundraising as soon as I am fully fit to do so.”

When he was just 12, Andrew underwent major surgery to remove a bony spur in his skull that formed after he was knocked over at primary school.

In 2003 he raised his first £1,000 for the Children’s Hospital appeal, persuading pupils and teachers at St Birinus School to take part in a non-school uniform day.

Six years later, he smashed his £20,000 target, by raising £22,600 for CHOX through fun nights, sponsored walks and football tournaments run by his charity Play2Give.

By August 2006 he seemed to have made a full recovery, and completed his A-Levels a year later.

But early last year, the nausea, dizziness and headaches returned.

By the middle of the year, his walking was unsteady and doctors carried out tests to try to diagnose a cause.

He said: “I am trying to get out and about every day, but one day can be better than another. The really hard, intense headaches affect me more or less every day. It feels like water running through my head.

“The doctors know something was not quite right, but have not got to the bottom of it yet.

“I just try to keep positive, and other people help me with that.

“There is no point in being down-hearted. As one friend tells me, I have just got to keep going and going.”

The Arsenal fan, who is on sick leave from his job with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme at Baptist House, Didcot, said he planned to hold a charity fun night later this year, and organise another Play2Give football tournament in 2011.

Play2Give committee member Teresa Thompson said: “Andrew is inspirational. He really is going through the wars at the moment, but he never stops. He amazes me. We have got to keep the fundraising calm at the moment so Andrew can focus on getting better, because that is the most important thing.”

lsloan@oxfordmail.co.uk