Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

This year I am competing in the Great North Run in memory of my beautiful daughter Niamh, who died tragically at home after battling a rare condition called Hirschsprung's Disease that affected her bowel. Due to this condition, Niamh required surgery and other hospital treatment. Between March and April of 2012 Niamh spent approximately 8 weeks in hospital at the RVI in Newcastle. On the ward only one parent could stay over night, so I spent most of those 8 weeks living on the ward whilst fitting work in when I could. In the lead up to one of Niamh's operations, due to busy days and disrupted nights, I managed a total of 8hrs sleep in 3 days. Following the operation Niamh was taken to intensive care. It was when visiting her there that Siobhan and I were approached and informed that we could make use of free accomodation on the hospital grounds, allowing the two of us to be at hand for our daughter. That night, in the accomodation at Crawford House I slept for 15hrs straight. The accomodation was just what I needed. A home away from home when I needed it most. Crawford House at the RVI is run by The Sick Children's Trust. For those eligible to stay there it is completely free of charge and offers very comfortable rooms and communal kitchen, dining room and living room. Crawford House looks after 20+ families at a time, whose children are being cared for at the RVI. These families come from far and wide and I am asking you to give generously so that families going through distressing times have one less thing to think about.

Please give what you can. The money will go to helping run Crawford House and the 7 other houses like it elsewhere in the country.

Thank you.