Andy is running Bath half marathon to raise funds for a close friend's little girl, Liv.

Livia was unexpectedly born 6 weeks premature. On arrival she needed some assistance maintaining her temperature and was tube fed for 3 weeks, but on the whole was a healthy tiny baby.

As the months went on Livia struggled to meet her movement milestones. She never crawled and could only get around by rolling. When at 18 months she found her feet, Livia would never be out of reach of a wall, refusing to take even one step with a walker. Her physiotherapy sessions begun just before her 2ND birthday, and after 6 weeks the news that Livia has brain damage resulting in a diagnoses of Cerebral Palsy Spastic Diplegia was delivered.

Livia has to undergo daily physio exercises, wears leg splints, a 2nd skin and uses a frame walker. All of which helps to strengthen her where the muscles are not responding. The therapies are also a constant battle in order to prevent the spasticity from knocking her off her feet.

Livi is a very bright and outgoing girl, who wants nothing more than to "jump in puddles", walk on the beach, and to run around with her friends all of which she cannot do without assistance.

The money we hope to raise will go towards equipment and therapy to help Livi grow strong, ward off the spastitcy and help her lead as full, independent and active life as possible. The sooner we can deliver these things to Livia, the more beneficial they will be. As she is so young her body will respond well to strengthening exercises. Without, or delaying these interventions will inevitably lead to further restrictions on her mobility and likely operations. There is no cure for Livia, but we can help combat the effects of her condition.

Thank you for supporting Livia.