A six-year-old boy with type 1 diabetes is completing a marathon on his scooter to raise money for the hospital that looks after him.

Tommy, from Rotherham, has already met his target to raise £500 for The Children’s Hospital Charity, despite having eight miles of his 26-mile journey left to go.

The primary school student has been scootering over seven days and is set to complete his challenge in Weston Park this Saturday, in view of Sheffield Children’s Hospital.

After being critically ill with diabetic ketoacidosis, Tommy was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at just two years-old.

He’s since spent a significant amount of time at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, for regular outpatient visits, in-patient stays and other procedures.

He said: “The hospital looks after me so well, now I want to do something for them.”

Though exercising is difficult due to the need to regulate his blood sugar levels, Tommy has kept the hospital and his fellow patients at the forefront of his mind while scootering, according to his mother, Jessica. 

Jessica said: “It has been difficult at times, but that’s made it a little bit more special: he’s just pushed on and got through it.”

She added: “We’re really proud of him. But we’re proud of him anyway: at only six years old, he’s had to go through quite a lot of things that most people don’t even by the time they’re an adult.

“He just seems to face everything with so much positivity and courage.”

To celebrate the end of his effort, Tommy will host a final fundraiser party for friends and family at his home.

His mother said Tommy was “over the moon” with the donations he had received so far.

The scooter marathon is not the first of Tommy’s fundraising efforts. In 2020, he raised over £700 by hosting a coffee morning with his school friend. 

Lucy Cain, Community Fundraising Officer at The Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “We would like to say a huge thank you to Tommy for taking on this amazing scooter challenge for Sheffield Children’s.

“We were all moved to hear of his gratitude for his care at our hospital and he’s raised such a fantastic amount already!

“Thank you Tommy and best of luck with those last few miles!”

To donate and find out more, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tommylscooter