Shropshire youngster competes alongside Invictus Games hero and paralympian

It is the UK’s only disability sports series – and eight-year-old Tom McIntyre has been fundraising on behalf of two Shropshire hospital trusts.

After smashing his challenge at the Superhero Tri in August, Tom, from Bourton near Much Wenlock, competed with his mother and father alongside Invictus Games hero Mr Henson.

Together the team took part in ‘Celebrity Winter Wheels’ during the event on Sunday, a race dedicated to families who provide the crucial love and support to those living with a disability.

The race took place at Dorney Lake, Windsor, as is part of efforts to create fun, full-throttle mass-participation challenges where people with disabilities call the shots and without having to worry about cut-off times or equipment restrictions.

Tom took to the track to run 1k alongside Mr Henson in the celebrity lakeside dash, partnered by his father James, before taking on a 5k bike challenge partnered by his mother Caroline.

Tom was born with a rare condition called proximal femoral focal deficiency (PFFD) which means that his right femur is not growing correctly.

At the age of one he had his foot and ankle amputated to enable him to have a prosthetic fitted and when he was four he had part of his femur removed and his hip reconstructed.

Proud

Speaking about the race, Tom said: “I’m super-duper 300 per cent happy.”

Caroline, who works at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), which runs the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, said: “I’m really proud of Tom and love the opportunities the Superhero Series has given him.

“Tom’s dad was really looking forward to running with him and Dave Henson, and then I got to be Tom’s sidekick cycling for 5km around the lake.

“Tom has chosen to raise money again for the SaTH End of Life Care Swan Fund and The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (RJAH).

“It is 10 years this year since my father passed away at SaTH, and the care and dignity the staff showed him in his final hours made his passing so much easier.

“Tom has been cared for at RJAH since birth and the fantastic Mr Kiely and his team have performed all his surgeries and recuperation.”

Mr Henson, who is an MBE, is a British parasport athlete who has represented Britain at the Invictus Games, World and European Championships.

In 2016 he was selected for the summer paralympics in Rio, winning a bronze medal in the 200m sprint (T42).

To donate to SaTH’s End of Life Care Swan Fund visit justgiving.com/fundraising/Caroline-McIntyre6

To donate to RJAH, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/Caroline-McIntyre5