Hello and thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

In April, I shall be running the London Marathon for the first time in aid of ECHO (Evelina Children's Heart Organisation).  ECHO supports the parents/carers, close family and children who are treated at the Evelina Children's Hospital, principally for congenital heart defects. 

The picture to your left is of my niece Rosie who at the time was recovering from open heart surgery at just 3 days old.  Rosie was diagnosed with a heart defect during a routine  ante natal scan.   As you can imagine, Adam, my brother, and Jenny my sister-in-law, were devastated and suffered weeks of anxiety and uncertainty with numerous trips to hospital to check on their unborn baby's progress.  The other photos show Rosie before her operation hooked up to monitors - not the image you expect to see of a newborn baby.

ECHO was there for Adam and Jenny with support, care and advice that nobody else could provide as ECHO is run by parents of other "heart" children.   ECHO provides information, friendship and moral support at all times. This source of friendship is especially important as, like Adam and Jenny, parents experience isolation and desperation. ECHO is also there for  families when they  have immediate worries and concerns and need guidance or advice outside of normal working hours.  

Thankfully, Rosie is now 8 years old, happy, healthy and totally wonderful and we can't imagine life without her. She continues to receive support from ECHO as the charity befriends all their children and helps them grow into their teenage years and beyond to help them cope with independence and their attitude towards their heart condition. 

All money raised from this page goes directly towards ECHO and helps them continue supporting poorly children and their families through diagnosis, treatment, recovery and future life.

So please, dig as deep as these tough financial times will allow you to and donate now.

Thank you so much!

Emma