Hi Everyone

My name is Jacqueline, I have decided to take on a challenge to raise money for the British heart foundation Lewis and Harris.

When my beautiful wee boy Lachie was just 3 months old he was diagnosed with an ASD (atrial septal defect) this is a congenital heart defect which causes a hole in the septum that separates the two chambers of the heart and interferes with the blood flow to the lungs. It was a very scary time for us all, we were told he would need surgery but didn't know when and we went home scared of what might happen to him. The bigger he got and more boisterous he became the more we wanted to wrap him in cotton wool which is so hard for a little boy finding his feet.

Fast forward 3 years, a lot of hospital appointments and trips to Glasgow and we were told the hole had got bigger, too big for an implant to close it, so he would need open heart surgery. He was put on a waiting list and we were told he may be called last minute for his operation. From then on it was nerve wracking every time my phone went.

we got a phone call on the Friday at 4 pm and we were on the first flight to Glasgow on the Monday for him to have his operation.

The next two weeks were something I would not wish on any parent to have to go through, I'm a nurse with 15 years of experience and It all meant nothing... I was on the other side and felt completely helpless.

But the care Lachie received was AMAZING, from all the theatre staff to the domestics that came in to make him smile everyday.

He went through so much pain and trauma, but looking at him now almost a year on you wouldn't even know it. The energy he has now compared to before his OP is un real, he is like a wee pocket rocket and full of mischief, just the way we want him to be.

The BHF is the largest independent funder of research into heart and circulatory diseases in Scotland research that is only made possible thanks to donations from the public. The charity is currently funding more than £50 million in research in ten universities across Scotland, including at its Centres of Research Excellence at the universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. If it wasn't for the research then Lachie and so many others wouldn't get the opportunity to live a healthy life.

So i'm going to take on a challenge that even I think is a bit mental.. I'm going to run the equivalent milage from Bosta in Great Bernera (where I'm from) to the Royal hospital for sick children in Glasgow. This is 310 miles, I will be doing the runs on around the isle of Lewis and the last run I will do will be 10 miles from outside of Glasgow and finish at the hospital. I'm giving myself 8 weeks to complete this which is roughly running 40 miles a week. I will be starting it on the 12th of March which is exactly 1 year since Lachie's operation.

I am terrified of doing this, but if my wee boy can go through all he's been through like the super hero he is then I can run a few miles....

I would appreciate more than you know any sponsors you can give me to go towards the BHF to pay for research to fight for every heartbeat.