Heyyy!!

We’re sorry to be a bit cheeky, after all the fundraising you have already so generously and lovingly passed CLDF’s way, but we’re asking for your help once again…

We must be nuts, well that’s what all of you keep telling us! We are going to run the London Marathon – 26.2 miles!! So yes, you’re probably all right. We’re also doing the Brighton Half Marathonin February to prepare for the big day. Yikes!

As some of you may know, this has been inspired by Lauren’s courageous sister Mollie Barton, who sadly passed away in April 2015 at the tender age of 20, whilst on the waiting list for a Liver Transplant. 

Mollie was born with the unique and rare genetic disorder Alagilles syndrome which affected herliver, heart and kidneys. After a tough time in her early years, Mols lived a relatively normal childhood, supported by medication throughout. However, over the Christmas period in 2014, Mollie's liver started to fail and she was put on the waiting list for a liver transplant in February 2015 – a heartbreakingly quick decline. 

A few weeks later due to complications, which included Pneumonia and Sepsis, she was removed from the transplant list - always with the hope that she would eventually be put back on it. Sadly for Mollie this wasn't the case, and she earned her angel wings on the 29th of April 2015.

Mollie was one tough cookie let us tell you that! Her sheer strength and determination during the painful battle of her last few months has given us the inspiration to rise to the challenge. So in April 2016, which will be the first anniversary of Mollie’s passing, we are going to put ourselves through a couple of months of pain (a lot of it!) to raise some cash and awareness for a charity that opened their doors and arms to Mollie and her family, and have offered constant support since. We are very privileged to be in a position to try and provide a little bit of help by running the London Marathon2016 to raise much needed funds for the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation (CLDF) so that they can continue to be able to provide similar care for other families.

What we’re doing can in no way be described as “a fun way of fundraising”. We’ve been running with the marathon in mind since June 2015, and quite frankly, this running lark is HORRIFIC! At the moment, “running” is a bit of an exaggeration - we've been overtaken by pensioners walking asthmatic dogs during our trails along Southbank. 

We have a lot of work to put in over the cold months ahead. Any donations received, big or small, will give us the extra push needed to cross that finish line!! Last year our challenge was completing a 5k Race for Life, and that was tough enough! We are going to push ourselves to the max and ‘run for those who can't’ with Mollie’s B+ love behind us all the way!

So, pretty please with cherries, and icing, and hundreds and thousands and whatever else on top:

We need all the encouragement we can get to get through the 26.2 long miles ahead as we raise money and awareness for Children’s Liver Disease Foundation.

Words can’t thank you enough for your generosity and encouragement as we tackle this. We know you all have dedicated charities that you’re all so generous to, so even if it’s only some ‘loose change’ it still means ever so much to us!

We’ll leave you with some closing thoughts: 

“Don’t think of organ donation as giving up part of yourself to keep a total stranger alive. It’s really a total stranger giving up almost all of themselves to keep part of you alive”

Mollie received over 20 blood transfusions in her last tricky battle for life, you never know when you might need one – so if you’d be prepared to receive, please be prepared to give. 

To read about Mollie’s journey, please read this honest and inspiring blog written by Lauren, 

www.bartonsblog35.wordpress.com