Oscar MacCormac, a London neurosurgeon who treated 13-year-old Evie Dove before she died from a brain tumour, will run 100 miles this July in her memory. He will take on the Rat Race 100 event from July 4 to July 6, covering 162 kilometres from Bamburgh Castle to Edinburgh Castle—the equivalent of nearly four marathons—in one go.
Fundraising for Specialist Training
MacCormac aims to raise £2,000 for The Evie Dove Foundation, a charity that funds specialist training for NHS paediatric healthcare workers. To date, the foundation has supported more than 270 clinicians across the UK.
A Second Attempt After 13 Years
This is not the doctor's first 100-mile race. Thirteen years ago, the extreme distance left him hallucinating, vomiting, and in severe pain, causing him to swear he would never do it again. Now, 13 years later—matching the exact age Evie was when she died—he will attempt the distance once more.
Evie was diagnosed with a brain tumour in April 2021 and passed away in March 2022. During her illness, she was cared for across three hospitals, including King's College Hospital, where MacCormac was part of her care team.
Doctor's Tribute to Evie
MacCormac said: “Being part of Evie's care team at King's was an honour. She was remarkable. Her kindness and ability to make everyone smile have stayed with me. I swore I'd never run 100 miles again, but if there's one person who could get me onto the start line, it's Evie. If this run can help even one more clinician access the training they need to support children like Evie, and families like the Doves, every step will be worth it.”
Staffing Crisis in Paediatrics
According to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, 82% of paediatricians say there is insufficient staffing to meet the needs of young people. A national workplace report also found that a lack of support for training is a common reason doctors feel unable to progress, leading many to leave the UK. The Evie Dove Foundation was set up to address this gap, funding specialist training so that sick children can access the best possible care—supporting roles from allergy specialists to palliative care psychologists.
Family's Gratitude
Howard Dove, Evie's father, said: “Throughout Evie’s treatment, we kept meeting the most remarkable and compassionate clinicians. People like Oscar, who was part of the team that fought for Evie when it mattered most. The fact that he is still fighting for her now, and for every child and family who comes after her, says everything about the kind of person he is. We’re beyond grateful for his support and are dedicated to keeping compassion and expertise at the heart of paediatric care in the UK.”
