Fundraising News
Fareham Dad taking on 10K open water challenge to help daughter with cerebral palsy
08 Sep 2025
A Fareham father-of-two has learned to swim to take on a 10K open water swimming challenge to raise funds to help his four-year-old daughter who has cerebral palsy work towards her dream of roller-skating.
A Diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy
Maeve Bisset, 4, who was born at just 28 weeks during COVID-19 was diagnosed with cerebral palsy just before her second birthday. The condition is a lifelong movement disorder which causes severe spasticity in her legs and makes standing, sitting and walking painful and challenging.
She uses a range of mobility aids from a wheelchair to walkers and sticks. At the end of this year she is scheduled for Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) surgery which, while not a cure, will help increase mobility and reduce pain.
The need for fundraising for additional physiotherapy support
After surgery Maeve will need to relearn to walk and undergo intensive rehabilitation to rebuild her strength and independence. So her family, friends and supporters are taking on a series of events to help raise money for private physiotherapy.
Raising funds through fundraising challenges
Dad Dan Bisset, 36, a recruitment manager said: ‘I’m taking on the Swim Long 10K Race at Eton Dorney Lake in spite of only being able to swim about one length of a pool a year ago. I’ve had to up my endurance significantly as well as getting used to open water swimming and wearing a wet suit. It’s the aquatic equivalent of a marathon and will be a true test for me to finish before the cut off time of 4.5 hours!’
Maeve herself will be joining the Kids’ Great South Run in October with her nine-year-old sister Demelza and some friends, and the family and around 20 friends will be walking 28 miles from Fareham to Royal Hampshire County Hospital – where Maeve spent the first few weeks of her life – on October 11.
‘Maeve is a typical four-year-old who loves being up and about and doing all the things her friends like doing – she loves swimming and horse riding especially. The more physio she can have while she’s young immediately after the operation the more effective it’s likely to be and the better her chance of achieving her ultimate aim of being able to rollerskate!’
Maeve's Dad
Fundraising support from Tree of Hope
The family is being supported by children’s charity Tree of Hope, which helps families raise money for children and young people like Maeve for medical treatments and healthcare services not freely available to them through the NHS and social care. The charity provides fundraising guidance, campaign development, financial management, charity registration and emotional support from the Family Support team. Families like Maeve’s benefit from gift aid, corporate support while also providing donor reassurance.
‘We wish Maeve and her family all the best with their fundraising activities. We are pleased to be supporting them to give them the support in reaching their fundraising goals.’
CEO
Supporting Maeve's Mission
To learn more about Maeve or to donate to her fund visit https://www.treeofhope.org.uk/get-involved/childrens-campaigns/maeves-mission/
