UPDATE: Both Zoe and Eliza completed the marathon on 5th April. It was a wonderful experience with so much support from the crowds. Thank you all so much for your support and we are still welcoming donations to help us reach the final target.
Zoe and Eliza are all running the Paris marathon to raise money to support a child in the new hope foundation, which is a Chinese orphanage for disabled children.
The New Hope Foundation has several units in China where they care for orphans under the age of five. It was started by Dr Joyce and Robin Hill in 1999 and they have since helped over 300 babies. They provide care and medical treatment for children with disabilities and surgery for those with correctable deformities. This is treatment that would not otherwise be available to them. For more information you can look up the orphanage at www.hopefosterhome.com.
Zoe and Eliza spent a month in one of their special care units in the Henan province. The standard of care and love given to all the children was very moving. We have decided to raise £3,500 to pay for a heart operation for a baby called Charlie who was born with a congenital abnormality of his heart, known as a ventral septal defect. Charlie has already received the operation as it had to be operated on immediately, but this was paid for from money taken from general running costs of the orphanage. This needs to be repaid so that they continue to be able to run the orphanage with the excellent standards and care they currently give. We have agreed to take this on and pay back this deficit. We wanted to help the orphanage in a personal way after having spent a month looking after and playing with Charlie, who is now a very happy and healthy little boy.
So...having given ourselves this big challenge we have (for some reason) decided to take on another big challenge- running the Paris Marathon. We would be very grateful if you would sponsor us, we can vouch it is a wonderful cause.
All money raised will be given directly to the orphanage by COCOA, a UK based charity straight to the New Hope Foundation.
Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor us: COCOA - Care of China's Orphaned and Abandoned 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.
Thank you for all your support!x