* I’m re-opening the same Just Giving page that so many kindly donated to back during lockdown, when I previously ran for charity*  

I was born with Truncus Arteriosus, a congenital heart defect that affects the blood flow into the heart. This has meant that over the years I have needed ten different procedures, five of which were open heart, and I will likely continue to need them in the future. During my childhood, I spent a lot of time in ward 1E at the Glasgow Children's Hospital (The Cardiology Ward). In ward 1E, the Surgeons, Nurses, Doctors and staff have always been amazing and I am hugely grateful for my everything they have done for me, and others who have similar conditions. This ward is full of character and life and I have always left the ward with my health intact and a smile on my face and I feel it is time to give something back. 

I have decided to run Edinburgh Half Marathon, to raise money for the ward 1E. The money raised will directly benefit the ward, and allow children recovering from heart procedures, to do so in a safe, and homely space. I am also running to show that having a heart condition should not limit what your physical boundaries should be. There is a certain stigma surrounding heart conditions in relation to exercising. I want to help break that stigma and raise awareness of how having a heart condition does not define what you can achieve in a physical sense! Hopefully I can inspire younger children with heart conditions to battle through whatever tough times they may face, and help them believe that they can push themselves to achieve sporting & physical successes.  

All donations are appreciated, and every penny is of value.

Thank You 

Ben