Andrew Patterson's daughter aiming to raise funds for life-changing operation

The daughter of former Surrey and Sussex wicketkeeper Andrew Patterson is taking on the mammoth challenge of two half-marathons to raise money for a potentially life-changing operation for her father. 

Ella Patterson is running two half-marathons in a bid to raise £70,000 for Andrew to travel to America for a highly specialist surgery that will aim to halt the degenerative disease Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP).

HSP has severely impacted the life of Andrew and he has gone from finding it difficult to walk to being almost totally reliant on walking aids. Doctors expect that, without intervention, he will lose the ability to walk and will have to use a wheelchair permanently.

The surgery, which Andrew and his family have only recently become aware of, needs to happen urgently and whilst they have secured a date in May, this is contingent on them being able to raise the required funds.

A wicketkeeper by trade Patterson – from Newtownabbey in Northern Ireland featured in ten first-class games for Sussex in 2000 and also made 61 appearances for Ireland between 1996 and 2002.

In 2013 Patterson began to have problems with his balance and received the stunning diagnosis that he was suffering from Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia. This has significantly impacted his life and that of his family.

If you would like to support Ella's fundraising efforts, please visit the justgiving page here to donate.