If you see a giant green monster running in the Great South Run on Sunday (October 27), don’t worry it’s just Christiane Ogier.
The 37-year-old will running as Mike Wazowski from Monsters Inc while taking part in the Portsmouth-based race to raise funds to for a life-changing operation to help a two-year-old boy with cerebral palsy to walk.
Watch our video of Terry and Oliver Osborne and Christiane Ogier
The mother-of-one, who works at NATS – National Air Traffic Services – in Swanwick, has known friends SallyAnne and Terry Osborne from Titchfield Common for five years and has seen the daily challenges they face with their son Oliver.
Oliver was born 11 weeks prematurely and weighed 2lbs 12oz. He spent several weeks in hospital and after finally being allowed home suffered from severe reflux. Over time Oliver had problems with his development – he could not move, play, sit up or do similar actions that other children could do.
He was diagnosed with having spastic displegia, a form of cerebral palsy, and the family need to raise £60,000 for an operation and physiotherapy – which could be done in Leeds or in America. They have yet to establish a date or location for the selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) surgery, but are fundraising ahead of that so he could have the operation in the next year to 18 months.
“They have been through the mill,” said Christiane, of Snowdrop Close. “To get the diagnosis must have been devastating. Everything you think you’re going to do with your child you have to change your perception.
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Terry Osborne, his son Oliver and friend Christiane Ogier dressed as a green monster
“They’ve coped remarkably. I take my hat off to them in how they’ve coped, got to all the appointments and continued a relatively normal life for their other child Millie and they’ve kept smiling throughout.”
The run will be tough, but Christiane added: “Oliver’s only three and if he can get himself crawling when they said he wouldn’t – and he tries all the time, he’s such a happy child – then me running 10 miles is nothing. I can certainly do that. He definitely is an inspiration to get me round.”
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Christiane Ogier running as Mike Wazowski
Terry, 36, said: “We’re so overwhelmed at people’s generosity and kindness. It’s lovely and very, very touching for everything they want to do.
“We’re very lucky to have friends, family and colleagues looking out for us. It has been stressful at times with Oliver, but it’ll all be worthwhile in the end.”
Oliver’s sister Millie and Christiane’s daughter Lauren will be running the Mini Great South Run this Saturday to raise funds for Oliver with their friends Matilda Charles, Darcy Amis, Anwen and Katrin Ricketts-Wink and James and George Davison.
For more details or to donate for Oliver’s cause visit www.footsteps4oliver.co.uk.