Lauren Hazel

Lauren Hazel turned her future around after life-changing treatment at RNOH. This weekend, she celebrated a strength doctors warned she might never have.

In 2012, RNOH became a lifeline for Lauren when she was diagnosed with a rare condition known as tarsal coalition, which was affecting both feet. She was just 10 years old. “My local hospital had never encountered this before and were struggling to find a solution, while I was experiencing more and more pain as I grew.”

The turning point came with a referral to RNOH, where medics immediately recognised the urgency of the situation. “They insisted I have surgery as soon as possible, even though this was very complicated.” Over the next few years, Lauren underwent three operations. In 2015, she began the difficult process of recovery and learning to walk again. “It was like being a 5ft toddler!” Lauren remembers.

Doctors warned that Lauren would probably never be able to walk long distances, let alone run. But that didn’t stop her and later, at university, something remarkable happened. “I rediscovered my love for sport,” she says “and I ended up rowing for Oxford!”

Now, Lauren has found new strength and can even run long distances. “I've become progressively stronger as an athlete, and able to run long distances for the first time in my life. I thought it would be a wonderful full-circle moment to run a race, raising money for the people who enabled me to get there!”

In April 2025, Lauren turned the dream into reality, running the Enigma Easter Series half marathon against all the odds and raising over £1,000 so far for RNOH Charity! Offering a heartfelt tribute, Lauren says: “10 years ago, RNOH gave me the life-changing treatment I needed to keep a spring in my step. A special thank you to Sally Tennant and her team, and everyone who worked on Coxen Ward between 2012 and 2015. The staff at RNOH made me believe that superheroes are real – and they wear scrubs, not capes.”

Thank you, Lauren. What an enormous achievement and a fantastic result!

To support Lauren, you can visit her page here.