There’s no stopping Andrew

Andrew McCrory is on a mission to help kids living with Cerebral Palsy – one step at a time.

By Melanie Louden

Andrew McCrory has raised $85,000 so children with Cerebral Palsy can have SDR surgery overseas, and intensive therapy in New Zealand. Photo: NZ Defence Force

Andrew McCrory has a back injury and a girl named Liv Fountain to thank for changing the course of his life – and the lives of more than 14 other children.

Andrew was waiting for back surgery in 2017 when he spotted a Facebook post of Liv. 

The youngster, a Cerebral Palsy Society member, was singing Rachel Platten’s Fight Song … “I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me”.

“I got a bit of dust in my eye watching that,” Andrew, 49, says.

Liv’s mum Marcia Leslie had shared the post as part of the family’s fundraising for SDR surgery.

“I had no idea who Liv was. No idea what SDR was. I had no idea whatsoever, really. So, I just reached out to her mum and said, ‘how can I help?’.”

And so began the Hastings resident’s journey of raising funds to help Kiwi kids living with Cerebral Palsy.

Andrew, a former mechanic with the New Zealand Army, says he has never been a runner – “not at all”.

In fact, when he joined the army in 1993, he was “the slowest dude in the platoon”.

In 2014, he started doing cross fit, which is how he injured his back, resulting in two surgeries. 

While he was waiting for the first surgery, he saw the video of Liv singing and supported her by getting all the local cross fit gyms involved in a fundraiser.

While recovering from the second surgery, Andrew read a book by Davey Goggins, an ex-Navy Seal in America who ran 100 miles in support of veterans.

“I said ‘right, I’m running 100 miles and I’ll do it as a fundrasier’. That’s how it started. My son asked if I was going to do it for kids like Liv again? Why not?”

Andrew, who has also had surgery on both knees, set up a Facebook page, Running Aotearoa For SDR, to support his fundraising and has since run 100 miles six times.

So far, he’s raised $85,000 to help children get SDR surgery overseas, as well as intensive therapy in New Zealand.

Ethan, left, Liv, Reid and Faith have all benefited from Andrew’s fundraising efforts.

He’s completed the Blue Lake 24 Hour Challenge in Rotorua five times, run around Lake Taupo twice, completed the Northburn 100, and run around Mt Ruapehu just for fun.

Andrew has also run the equivalent of the length of New Zealand (Covid-19 lockdowns meant he couldn’t get through Auckland). He ran 50kms a day on average, for 40 days straight, running a total of 2060km and raising $50,000.

Once Andrew had enough money saved up for children with Cerebral Palsy, he temporarily changed his focus and raised money for I Am Hope by doing a tunnel run in June 2023, and for the RSA by running from Napier to the Waiouru Military camp in November.

The tunnel run was held in the Karangahake Gorge where Andrew ran the 1.1km former rail tunnel back and forth for 24 hours, eventually clocking up 169kms. 

He then switched back to running for the kids – who have always been his main focus.

The challenge now is that everyone thinks that because he’s run 100 miles, and the length of New Zealand, that it’s easy for him.

“I have to come up with something crazier, and longer and weirder.”

Next in his sights is the Badwater 135 Ultramarathon in North America.

Recognised as the world’s toughest foot race, the event is held over a 135-mile/217km stretch of highway with a 48- hour time limit in 50 degree heat.

Andrew has been selected as one of the 105 runners to take part in the July event. 

Two surgeries on his back, and both knees hasn’t slowed
Andrew McCrory down. Photo: Mark Davey 

He’s had a great deal of support since he started running for children with Cerebral Palsy, from strangers waiting for him on the roadside of his New Zealand run, and para-athlete Lisa Adams
supporting his efforts, to the crew at the Blue Lake 24-hour Challenge, and the East Coast Hunters who help him fundraise.

But by far, Andrew’s biggest supporter is his wife, Kathleen, who ensures the funds they raise are a team effort.

“There is no way I could do what I do without her. It just wouldn’t be possible.”

“Once I start, she does everything – feeds me, waters me, changes my scungy socks. She’s there pushing me along as well.”

On top of the physical toll the runs take on Andrew, there are also mental barriers to face. 

“It’s always hard, it’s never easy. There’s always a dark point within that run. I just think of all the things those kids are doing now because I ran a few kilometres.”

* Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) is a permanent neurosurgical operation. SDR reduces spasticity (stiffness) in the legs of children with Cerebral Palsy. SDR surgery is not for everyone, and it cannot be reversed or repeated. More info is here. 

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This article was originally published in the January to April 2024 edition of The Review magazine.

 

For more information:
Melanie Louden
Communications Manager
melanie@cpsociety.org.nz
Mobile: 022 087 819