Once upon a time there were two little girls Freya & Annabel. Annabel had a genetic condition that made her life shorter than others but they were still the best of friends, their mums were too. As the mums were watching the girls play with sparkles in their eyes and the love the girls share, the mum's looked at each other and said when Annabel passed away we should do a run in her memory.

That sad day arrived and Freya's mum was right beside Annabels mummy from that moment.

To present day.......

And Annabel gets mentioned most days by her bestie Freya and her mum. Annabel would have been double figures next August 10!!! Where has that time gone thinks Annabels mum & dad and dream always about what a sassy teen she would be coming with her red curly locks.

The mums are still best of friends and thought this would be a good time to complete a 10K run in memory of Annabel while raising vital funds for the East Anglia children's hospice who were amazing support for Annabels parents.

From just the two mums it has extended to more and more work friends & cousins that all want to support the mums and run with them to remember princess Annabel xx

A little back story

2014 and our beautiful little lady arrived she was small had contracted joints but she was ours and perfect. We beat the odds and IVF worked first time. She was our blessing.

Fast forward to April 2015 and Annabel was diagnosed with Cockayne syndrome which is a rare disease we was giving a life expectancy of 3 years from this moment we decided that we were going to enjoy every moment and not to regret anything. Cockanye syndrome causes short stature, premature aging (progeria), severe photosensitivity, and moderate to severe learning delay. This syndrome also includes failure to thrive, very small head (microcephaly), and impaired nervous system development. Other symptoms may include hearing loss, tooth decay, vision problems, and bone abnormalities. Cockayne syndrome is caused by genetic changes in either the ERCC8 (CSA) or ERCC6 (CSB) genes. Inheritance is autosomal recessive.

I went back to work and Annabel came in with me in the Fledglings she had the best time, but she was just getting poorly and it just wasn't work i gave up my job and became a full time mummy and carer. Giving Annabel her regular medication, nebulizer, inhalers, getting milk ready to pump into her PEG (tube in her tummy), and physio, many day and overnight stays on Rudham ward.

Over the years Annabel had many operations that were scary as we didn't know if she make it through as her lungs were so fragile, watching and hoping she would pull through while in paediatric intensive care.

Fast forward to 2019 and we were told Annabel was in first stage kidney failure.

Annabel sadly gained her shiny wings in June 2020 watching our princess having to go through CPR was one of the hardest parts of our lives and we both still have terrible flash backs of this. I knew that when she woke startled on 16th June at midnight that it was her last breath and she had already left earth. Once she passed and we had our final cuddles at the hospital in the middle of a global pandemic the fantastic nurses of Rudham managed to get us transferred to Nook EACH the childrens hospice im Norwich where we had immediate care from our counsellor Amy and we had the peace and safe haven of spending 48 hours with Annabel to cuddle, love and just look at her. This time as many know saved Annabels daddys life without this time he doesn't know where he would be or even if he would have taken his own life.

At the hospice we had all meals cooked, one to one counseling with Amy who talked us through our next steps and just was there to support us. As time has gone on we have started a group with some other parents that have been through their worst moment of their lives like us and have made friends for life. Without EACH and Amy we our making through our grief process which is so very hard even though we put a smile on our face and pretend we are ok.

EACH saved our lives please support them by supporting others that might find themselves needing breavement counseling and support. 💜

LETS DO IT FOR ANNABEL 💜

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