A teenager who broke his back in a sledging accident has successfully climbed 674 steps of the Eiffel Tower in honour of those who supported his recovery.
Filip Cegar, 13, had to learn to walk again after breaking both his breastbone and back when he was thrown from his sledge in Bieldside in December 2022.
In the first operation of its kind to be carried out in Aberdeen, surgeons at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital (RACH) had to realign Filip’s spine and fix his spinal cord in place to prevent any further damage.
Filip was then transferred to the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit in Glasgow, where he had to learn to walk again, before being allowed to go home on Christmas Eve to enjoy the festivities with his family.
He is now back at his beloved football training sessions, as well as gym sessions with his father at Kippie Lodge in Aberdeen.
After months of hard work and rehabilitation, he has transformed so well that he managed to scale the hundreds of steps up to the second floor of the famous Parisian landmark, raising over £4,100 in honour of the dedicated medical teams at the RACH and The Archie Foundation.
Studio 10After the challenge Filip said: “The climb was excellent, the queue was not too long and climbing up to the first two levels was smooth. The elevator took us to the top of the Eiffel Tower and we had the most amazing view of a beautiful sunset! I have always wanted to visit Paris so this was a dream come true.
“I was so happy to get to the top of the stairs and I can’t believe how much money has been raised. I would like to thank everyone who has donated to my JustGiving page in aid of The Archie Foundation.”
Filip, a pupil of Cults Academy in Aberdeen, is now enjoying some downtime at Disneyland Paris with his family.
The money he has raised will be used to buy a recliner chair for the hospital’s High Dependency Unit, which will allow families such as Filip’s mum and dad Irena and Petar to sit by their child’s bedside in comfort.
The additional money will help to fund a room in The Archie Foundation’s Family Centre, where families can stay at RACH at no cost while their child is a patient.
Lynne Brooks, partnership manager at The Archie Foundation, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to hear Filip has completed his fundraising challenge and has raised such a fantastic amount. He is an inspirational young man who has made an incredible recovery after a particularly traumatic accident on his sledge.
“Filip and his family can be assured that the money he has raised will be put to extremely good use and used to purchase a recliner chair so parents can sit comfortably during those long and anxious hours by their child’s bedside, as Irena and Petar remember only too well.”
The Archie Foundation aims to transform experiences and outcomes in healthcare and bereavement for babies, children and families across North Scotland.
The charity’s vision is that all children in the region will have equal access to world-class healthcare and bereavement support, delivered in a child-appropriate environment and manner.
Visit the website or more information about the practical, financial and emotional support available from The Archie Foundation. To make a donation to Filip’s JustGiving, click here.
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