Those of you that know me, you will know why I am participating in this years BUPA Great North Run. But for those of you visiting this page that do not, let me give you a brief insight into the reason why.

     On July 21st 2012, my first born daughter Ava Grace was born. Being at the birth of your child is the single best feeling there is for a Dad. Unfortunately, this was marred by the knowledge of the road in which we were all about to go down.

     Ava Grace was born with the severe heart defect, Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. A defect which affects around 1 in 5000 babies, which left her with half a heart. Although this condition is unfixable, there were procedures available to help Ava Grace live the best life she could. This is where the amazing team at the Freeman Hospital came in.

    Through a 3 stage process of open heart surgeries known as the Norwood Procedure, the highly skilled team at the Freeman were to reconfigure the half a heart Ava Grace had to be able to function as best it could, to that of a full heart. At 3 days old, the first stage open heart procedure known as the Norwood, was carried out and was success. However, over the course of the next few days, Avas condition began to deteriorate. Unbelievably, at 10 days old there was the offer of a donor heart to transplant to Ava Grace. This was unprecedented, such was the rarity of a heart so small becoming available. After a little discussion, the offer was accepted. The transplant was given the go ahead and was flown over from France for the procedure the following day. We will be forever grateful to the donor and their family.

   The transplant went ahead as scheduled, the following day. Ava Grace was 11 days old, making her one of the youngest heart transplant recipients in Europe. Again, through the magnificent work of the Freeman team, this was a success. Over the course of the next couple of weeks, Avas condition was very up and down but nothing that was unexpected. However, things took a turn for the worst when she suffered a cardiac arrest. The Freeman team did everything in their power to help Ava, before placing her on ECMO (life support). Sadly, Ava Grace never recovered despite every effort and she passed away in my arms aged 4 weeks old.

     We could never truly show how much we appreciate the help and support we recieved during our time at the Freeman but I hope the money I can raise with the help of all of you, will go a little way in doing so.

So I ask each and every one of you to give as much as you can spare, to the wonderful Childrens Heart Unit Fund at the Freeman Hospital.