I remember the first time I met my sister Laura.  She was a few hours old and I was 5 years old.  I had really been looking forward to becoming a big brother for the first time - my mother had spent the previous 9 months telling me all the things a big brother needed to do.  I remember vividly promising my mum that I would always look after and protect my little sister or brother when they were born and when I held Laura for the first time in Holles Street Maternity Hospital, Dublin, I made the same promise to the tiny little girl with blue fingers and lips.

In my 5-year-old imagination, the biggest challenge I would face would be protecting her from "mean boys and bullies".  A few weeks after she was born, it was discovered that Laura had a condition called tricuspid atresia - a form of congenital heart disease whereby there is a complete absence of the tricuspid valve.  A more complicated version of a hole in the heart - ultimately, she only had 3 chambers.  At 6 weeks old, Laura had her first major heart surgery.  The first of, if I remember correctly, 17 surgical procedures she would face in her life.

In the summer of 2015, Laura was told that her weak and tired heart was giving up and that her only course of action was a heart and lung transplant.  Given the complicated nature of her condition, there was no guarantee that she would survive the transplant.  If she did survive it, she would likely face a minimum of 2 years in an ICU unit and, if she was allowed to come home after that, the anti-rejection drugs she would be taking to control her immune system would mean that her quality of life would be dramatically different.  

She was told, however, that she may experience a better energy level going forward and that many transplant survivors had gone on to complete astonishing physical feats -  climbing mountains, running marathons etc.

A qualified chef, a lover of her 3 cats and aunt to my 2 sons (godmother to my youngest, Max) - Laura was told that her diet would be strictly regulated, her cats would pose a threat to her health and would have to go.  Also, because children are walking infection risks, she wouldn't be able to enjoy as much time around them.  

In a calm and rational way that I will always admire (that's not a strong enough word), Laura took the decision to decline the transplant.  Her thinking was that if she wouldn't be able to enjoy the things she loved most - food, family, pets - what would she be living for.  She also scoffed saying "I never wanted to run a marathon anyway".

Her consultants accepted her decision and advised that she should expect to live another 3 to 5 years.  She got 9 months.

After 31 years of refusing to let her condition get her down - 31 years of being an inspiration to everyone around her - my sister Laura took her last breath in April 2016.

In her name, I'm taking part in the Great North Run in September this year. The world's biggest half marathon covers a route of 13.1 miles from Newcastle to South Shields.  

I've been living in Newcastle for nearly 14 years and had always wanted to do the run. Last year I ran the run, with minimal preparation, and loved every step.  This year I'm going to do it quicker.  Please sponsor me, and contribute towards the British Heart Foundation, I'll be forever grateful. 

BHF is also an amazing charity which is leading the fight against heart disease worldwide.  Their mission statement "Together we will improve the lives of babies born with heart defects, find the genes that cause inherited heart conditions and one day find a cure for heart failure and heart disease." couldn't strike a stronger chord with me. 

Thank you.

G.