I chuffing hate running!!!!!!!

 

However I'm taking on a half marathon (having never run further than a 10k before) and wanted to raise money for a cause close to my heart - Tiny Lives is the special baby care unit at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle. I'd raised money for them before but it became much more personal when my sister, Elizabeth, was taken ill over Christmas 2005 when she was visiting Tyneside from her home in Southampton during her preganancy with her 3rd child, now called William. This is Liz's story:

 

"William was born at 26 weeks gestation - 14 weeks before his due date. He weighed 1lb 15ozs, (870g) so was in the highest risk group for problems and disabilities - if you're over a kilo you're likely to do a bit better. He had various infections, was treated with a number of different antibiotics, had 2 blood transfusions, and was cared for in 3 hospitals. He was only ventilated for 12 hours but remained oxygen dependent for most of his stay in hospital, and could not have survived without the care he received. 

 He came home on 2nd April, just before his due date, having spent 14 weeks and 1 day in hospital. He weighed 5lbs 4ozs when he came home.

The average cost of a night's stay in Special Care is around £1,200 per baby, including all the specialist equipment, level of nursing care, drugs, monitors etc. In addition, William had a specialist flight to a private airfield accompanied by a Consultant, a Specialist Registrar and a nurse, plus 3 ambulance trips in order to get us home from Newcastle to hospital in Hampshire.

We think his care cost at least £150,000 possibly much more with X rays etc, and then he was followed up for 4 years. BIG BUCKS!!!!"

The photos on this page show Will then and now - the hand in the photo is Liz's and she's only 5'1" herself so doesn't have big hands! My nephew would have died without their help and so I want to give something back.

Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Please sponsor me with whatever you can - I really will suffer for it!