Our dietician Lisa Green has collected a Star Award after helping a Halifax man run the London Marathon with a tube in his throat following tumour surgery.  

Gary Taylor, an electrical engineer from Halifax, cannot eat or drink so the only way he could complete the 26-mile run was with a backpack containing his liquid food and hydration... together with Lisa's expert advice.

He is determined to carry on his life as normally as possible with a tube in place and hails Lisa's support for getting him round on one of the hottest marathon day ever back in April.

In an email to her manager, Gary, said: " I don’t think I could have done the London marathon without Lisa’s dedication. It felt like she was with me all way round the marathon and after the marathon Lisa was still wanting to understand if I needed any further advice, how I felt."

On the day of the run Lisa was in constant phone contact advising him what to take in and when. She said: " I was really worried all day as I felt really responsible. He could not stop to take on fluids if he was dehydrated. Gary is truly inspirational and I enjoyed supporting him with his challenge!!

Lisa, a dietician for 20 years and with our medical records while she was training, said when Owen turned up with her Star Award and vouchers:  "I think I might cry.....!"'

Owen said: " It’s a real pleasure to present you with this Star Award. You were nominated for helping a patient not only get through a significant, life-changing illness but more importantly helped him to fulfil his dream of running a marathon - something I won't ever do!".

Lisa, said: "I'm amazed I've got this. The patient set me a real challenge as he wanted to run the marathon in less than four hours, and I wanted to do everything I could to help him do it."

Gary, who just missed out on the four hours due to the heat, now plans to run the Boston Marathon and a Coast to Coast challenge, and could be in the Guinness Book of Records for being the first person to run a marathon with an enteral tube (and nil oral intake)  in place.

He added:"Lisa monitored me closely,  came to my running club and even  ran with me to make sure everything was correct. The more we talked, the more Lisa took on board my views and kept tweaking things as we came across them. Lisa also worked closely with my Nutricia nurse and between them the information she gave me was invaluable."