On the 8th of May 2023 my little sister, Effie, was taken to Manchester Children’s Hospital.

Effie has been in and out of hospital all of her life. She was born with a poorly heart, stomach and poorly lungs.

Normally, Effie would stay at the amazing ‘A Side’ at Blackburn hospital. This time Effie was so poorly that she had to be taken to Manchester Hospital’s critical care unit instead. Here, she had to be put on a ventilator to help her to carry on breathing. Effie stayed on the critical care unit for eight weeks. Those eight weeks were very scary for our family.

As Manchester was so far away from home, my mummy and daddy had to stay with Effie to make sure she was ok and to be there for her when she woke up.

They were able to stay at the wonderful Ronald McDonald House (this is a place where families with poorly children stay so they can be there for their sick child).

I was at school so I had to stay with my grandma and grandad but every weekend and during the holidays I would go to stay at RMH.

This place was great! It meant I could see and spend time with my mummy and daddy. There was an amazing garden to play in, they held wonderful parties and had lots of activities for me to do. They also had lots of space for us to just be together and remain a family during a very stressful time. I even made lots of friends who also had brothers and sisters in hospital too!

Ronald McDonald House relies on charity donations to keep it going. In the reception area there is a donation tree where all the names of people who have made donations go. I would like my name to go on that tree. My mummy and daddy explained to me why people give money to Ronald McDonald House. Now, I want to raise as much money as I can to help this wonderful charity.

To raise money for this wonderful charity, I have decided to walk up Mount Skiddaw (which is in the Lake District). I’m going to do all of this walk and I’m not even going to go on my mummy or daddy’s shoulders! This is the fourth highest peak in the Lake District and one of the toughest as well. I will be completing this challenge during the Easter holidays (a date will be confirmed nearer to the time).

Please help me raise as much money and awareness as possible to help to continue the Ronald McDonald charity’s brilliant cause by sponsoring me. It costs the charity £25 a night to house a family so every penny really does count. If you are ever in McDonalds, you could also help the charity with ease by rounding up your order to the nearest pound. The extra pennies all go to the charity!

I hope your family never needs Ronald McDonald house. But if they do, rest assured they will be well looked after.