‘I’m running the London Marathon so that my son can one day run too.’

Archer Davies, 5, was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome at the age of 10 months following concerns about his ability to feed, lack of muscle tone and not meeting milestones.

Angelman Syndrome affect around one in 15,000 to 20,000 live births in the UK. Due to the syndrome Archer sleeps little (sometimes only two to three hours per night), struggles with motor and movement issues which limit his ability to walk, is non-verbal, has a severe learning disability and epilepsy.

Mum Charlotte, 30, who works full time as a children’s mental health nurse and has another child Ezra, 3, said:

‘Archer is growing increasingly frustrated with his inability to communicate these to those around him, and to independently navigate the world. He watches as his brother and other children his age run around and play and will become upset if he can’t join them.

Despite this, Archer is one of the happiest, most excitable children you will ever meet. He's like sunshine in a human body, and everyone that gets to know him tells me how privileged they feel when Archer finally embraces them as one of his people. He works so hard every day to try and find ways to move around and communicate his needs, and I want to help make that journey easier.’

While at the start of journey I felt like I was drowning, Archer’s determination, courage, resilience, and undiluted joy have inspired me to challenge myself, and to discard all my own limitations. Archer battles every single day to take a few steps, or to shuffle across the room, and if he must face that, why shouldn’t I too? For that reason, I have signed up for the London Marathon in April 2025, and have amazingly received a place through the ballot.’

Charlotte says that she was the only one of the friends she applied with to get a place and has now started training in earnest – recently completing her first half marathon.

She said: ‘It’s very hard to find the time, but I try to do two runs per week and also have two personal training sessions which I take the children along to, so that has its own challenges!’

‘Though I am starting to enjoy it, training is hard, but a drop in the water compared to the challenges that Archer faces every day. I want to use this opportunity to raise funds to help us provide Archer with the specialised care and therapies that he needs to thrive and flourish. Our goal in the first instance is to provide Archer with a private physiotherapist to enhance the work done by the NHS, to hopefully get him up and running so much sooner. I am running, so that he can one day run too.’ 

Archer’s family is being supported by children’s charity Tree of Hope which helps families fundraise for children like Archer with healthcare needs which cannot be provided by the NHS and provides charity status to benefit from gift aid, corporate support while also providing donor reassurance.

To find out more about Archer or to donate, visit https://www.treeofhope.org.uk/ways-to-give/childrens-campaigns/our-angel-archer-im-running-so-that-he-will-too/