Support the Big Walk 2026 at the University of Sheffield and you’ll help find answers for children fighting a battle with an invisible opponent—lung disease.

One in three babies born before 32 weeks is at risk of developing a chronic, life limiting lung disease.

Over 11,000 people in the UK live with cystic fibrosis.

Asthma affects 1 in 11 children in the UK, with many more remaining undiagnosed and vulnerable due to difficulty testing children under 5.

Standard tests like CT scans are unsafe for children due to radiation, so there’s currently no way to see inside children’s lungs and get to the bottom of conditions like asthma, bronchiectasis or cystic fibrosis. And parents of premature babies are often left in the dark, unsure if their babies’ lungs are working well enough to be removed from ventilators.

And even when premature babies go home, the uncertainty never goes away. Some families endure years of nightly coughing fits, never knowing if they will end up back in hospital.

The Insigneo Institute at the University of Sheffield has developed a breakthrough way of seeing inside children’s lungs that replaces guesswork with clear treatment plans. By using existing MRI technology and a special form of xenon gas, doctors are now able to see children’s lungs in incredible detail. And the process is completely safe and non-invasive.

But we need your help to expand this research, testing it on more lung conditions and getting it into the hands of doctors across the country to help more children. Early diagnosis means better treatment that will reduce long-term damage for children with lung disease. Helping them to live happier and healthier lives.

Every step you take and every pound you raise will directly fund life-changing research, ending the silent struggle of children battling the unknown.

And thanks to a generous donor, all fundraising up to £75,000 will be matched, meaning you’ll have double the impact.

Your support means these brave children, already fighting significant lung conditions, can be diagnosed safely. And every mile you conquer will help lift the burden of fear from a parents’ shoulders.

The Insigneo Institute aims to drive innovative research at the interface of healthcare, engineering and science to transform the future of healthcare technology. And bring vital breakthroughs that will change lives.

For more information on the Insigneo Institute, please see our website: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/insigneo