Boy with epilepsy runs every day for charity

Zac and James have completed a half marathon on their running adventures

A 13 year-old boy from Sussex has been nominated for an award after running at least a mile every day this year for a local school and charity.

Zac has clocked up more than 400 miles and £61,000 so far for Young Epilepsy and St. Piers School and College in Lingfield.

Chief executive of the charity Young Epilepsy, Mark Devlin, called Zac "a hero".

Zac is a finalist in the Fundraiser category for the BBC Make A Difference Awards.

'A really complex condition'

St. Piers School and College works with children and young people with epilepsy and other special educational needs and disabilities.

On his daily run, Zac wears a student's name in recognition of the struggles they face.

Zac said: "I was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2020 and these children are struggling a lot more than me."

Mr Devlin said: "Epilepsy is a really complex condition and people are affected by it in different ways.

"Unfortunately, it is so misunderstood - lots of children with it are excluded from physical activity in school unnecessarily."

Zac's father James regularly runs alongside him.

He told BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey that some of the children they had run for had died this year and Zac had made a special effort to complete the challenge in their memory.

The BBC Radio Sussex and BBC Radio Surrey Make A Difference Awards celebrate local heroes and the event is at the end of September.

Executive editor, Vicki Berry said: “Last year’s awards was the highlight of my year. The stories of courage, kindness and generosity were hugely humbling.

"To be able to shed a light on and celebrate those members of our community who quietly spend their time helping others is an enormous privilege, and one of the most important things that we at BBC local radio are able to do.”