Thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page and for reading my story. 

On Sunday 28th April 2019 I will be taking on the biggest fitness challenge of my life pounding the streets of London with thousands of other runners in the 2019 London Marathon.

I will be running in support of the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation who have kindly offered me a place on their team.

This is a charity very close to my heart due to personal experience with children’s liver disease.

Our beautiful, bright, brave little girl Hannah was born with  rare and life threatening liver disease called Biliary Atresia.  At only 3 weeks old she was faced with a major operation in an attempt to reconstruct her biliary system. 

By the time she was 6 months old it became clear that the surgery had not been successful and we were given the devastating news that Hannah would need a liver transplant. Her health deteriorated quickly and she had to be admitted to the Liver Unit at Leeds General Hospital with end stage liver failure. 

With time against us we opted for living related liver donation.  I was confirmed as a suitable match and surgery was planned. It was THE most terrifying and overwhelming thing that my family and I have ever been through. A gruelling day long surgery that ended in heartbreak and devastation facing the news that the surgery had been unsuccessful and Hannah was to be listed for an urgent retransplant.

Thankfully Hannah received her gift of life exactly 1 week later. An incredible gift from a young man who lost his life but saved our baby girl. 

That was in February 2017. Hannah has had a long road to recovery having to endure several more surgeries and some major complications including developing EVB, portal vein stenosis, infected mesh, sepsis, Liver abscesses and Biliary stenosis. There have been times in the last 2 years when we have thought she wouldn’t make it. 

Thanks to a pioneering Biliary stent surgery that Hannah had in 2018, Hannah was finally thriving and turning into an energetic, funny, cheeky and amazingly beautiful little character.

Unfortunately, despite all the efforts of Hannah's liver team at Leeds General, she took a turn for the worst towards the end of 2018 with a recurrence of the abscesses in her liver caused by further biliary stenosis. Our world came crashing down when the only option was to list her for another liver transplant. 

Hannah was listed again on the 20th December 2018 for a third liver transplant. The waiting is so hard.  We hold out hope that it's third time lucky for a precious little girl.

I honestly do not know how I would have got through the last few years without the strength and support of my amazing family, friends, the Liver Team at Leeds General Infirmary and The Childrens Liver Disease Foundation.

The CLDF is the only charity dedicated to fighting all childhood liver diseases. They provide information and support to families and research into all aspects of childhood liver disease.  There is no other charity that I would rather run for and support. 

So to all of you who have taken the time to read this, please dig deep and donate to my cause. Any donation, big or small, is hugely appreciated.

Everyday I look at Hannah and see my brave liver warrior, she has been through more in her 2 years than most have to endure in a full  lifetime. She is my strength and inspiration. She will keep me going.

Hannah this is for you!

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart 💕

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