Thanks for visiting my fundraising page.
We did it! I completed the run in a personal best time of 1 hour 58 mins. We had a fantastic day and i can't thank everyone enough for all your contributions. It has been a great focus for me and has provided funds for a charity that we know will make a difference to William's life.
Many Thanks love Liz & William.
Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Children's Liver Disease Foundation gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.
On the 17th March 2009, Dave & I welcomed our first child William into the world . It was the happiest time for us, and at 3 days old, William returned home. However, at 10 days old, a routine check on William by the midwife resulted in his blood being sent off for analysis due to his pale nappies. He was found to have incredibly high jaundice levels and we were summoned urgently to Wythenshawe Hospital where we had a week long series of tests and scans. These proved beyond doubt that he had been born with a liver defect, and whilst still reeling from the news, we were referred to Jimmy's Hospital in Leeds to the specialist children's liver unit.
Whilst there we were given final proof that he had been born with a condition called Biliary Atresia, whereby the bile ducts draining from the liver into the gut are blocked and/or scarred, causing a build up of bile in the liver and subsequently liver desease. We were told that an operation called the Kasai procedure was to be performed on WIlliam, and were the operation to be unsuccessful at any stage, the only remaining option would be a liver transplant. We were at Jimmy's for 10 days during which time William spent 7 hours under the knife, and it was a huge relief when after a very long day indeed, we were told that the operation had passed without incident.
Whilst at Jimmy's, we received fantastic care and support from not only the nurses and doctors, but also from the CLDF (Childrens Liver Desease Foundation). They supplied us with literature giving information and advice, and have been there as a point of contact since our time in hospital. The CLDF continues to support important projects and research into childhood liver desease, and with your help and a little effort from me, I would like to raise as much money as possible for them to continue their invaluable work.
As for William, for now he's doing great and putting on loads of weight. We can't put a time limit on how long the operation may work for, or what future treatment he may require, if any. But we can say that he is surrounded by the strongest network of friends and family, and that no matter what, he'll never be short of love and support.
Some facts for you:
The chances of having a baby born with this condition, especially a male caucasion is around 1 in 20000!
Before 1983, the kasai proceedure did not exist and children born with the condition had a life expectancy of 2 years old.
The kasai proceedure is only successful in 2 thirds of cases, and of these, half will go on to need a liver transplant at some point in their lives.
Biliary Atresia is not a genetic defect and at present, despite continuing research, the cause for it is still unknown.
Thanks for your time and please dig as deep as possible!
Liz and Baby William.
