When a child suddenly becomes ill, there's no time to plan. The Sick Children's Trust is the charity that gives families one less thing to worry about by giving them a place to stay, and someone to talk to, free of charge just minutes from their child's bedside.

10 years ago, we had not heard of the Sick Children's Trust. 10 years ago they helped us when we really needed them.

We are so grateful for the support the SCT provided when our baby son Zachary was admitted to Great Ormond Street Hospital at 3 weeks old, for open heart surgery to try to try to tackle his complex congenital heart condition (DORV with TGA and VSD).

The Sick Children's Trust provided us with free accommodation at their Guildford House property, a short sprint from the Paediatric Cardiac ICU with an internal phone connection to Zachary's nursing team, so that we were close and connected around the clock, even when trying to grab a shower, stay connected with our then 3-year old daughter Ella, or get some food or a moment's rest. 

The 10 rollercoaster days post-surgery that were spent at Zac's bedside, after his 8-hour, complicated surgery, remain fixed in our minds - flipping between a living nightmare and moments of genuine hope.  We will forever be in awe of the expert care and compassion provided by the paediatric cardiac team on Flamingo ward at GOSH. 

Zachary's legacy endures.  In what should have been his 10th birthday year, with his big sister Ella (now 14) and younger brother Emile (8) cheering me on, I want to take this opportunity to raise money in his name, to say thank you and to help other families when they need the SCT's support.

I am not a long distance runner, honestly, I'm barely a short distance runner in normal life but I am holding tightly onto the image of precious Zachary's endurance, to keep me training and to get me across the finish line of this marathon in April. 

Thank you for your donation if you can make one; Thank you for raising awareness of the SCT or fundraising for them if you cannot!