In January 2025, together with 30 other people from across the Birmingham business community, I will embark on a charity trek up Mount Kilimanjaro, which promises both physical and mental challenges as we ascend Africa's highest peak. The journey will test resilience against the harsh elements, high altitudes, and rugged terrain, fostering a deep sense of camaraderie among my fellow trekkers. Each step taken becomes a symbol of personal triumph, as we push beyond our limits to reach the summit, standing tall at 19,341 feet.

This awe-inspiring feat is not merely about conquering a mountain but also about making a meaningful impact. By raising thousands of pounds for Birmingham Children's Hospital, we will be contributing to the well-being of young lives, turning the trek into a powerful fundraising initiative. The funds garnered from this adventurous pursuit will provide vital support for medical care, research, and resources, leaving an enduring legacy of compassion and community spirit.

The Birmingham Children's Hospital Charity is a cause which is really close to my heart because of the impact the hospital had on my very good friend Vicki and her wonderful son Ben.

In April 2023, I ran my first marathon in Manchester in support of Vicki and Ben and raised over £3,800 for the Birmingham Children's Hospital.

Climbing Kilimanjaro will be an even bigger challenge and so I am aiming to raise at least £5,000 which will contribute to the team's target of raising more than £200,000 for the 100,000 sick kids the hospital treats each year.

One of those kids is Ben - he is now three years old and is such a brave, strong and funny little boy. It has been a privilege to watch him defy the odds and grow into his happy and adventurous self.

Please read on for Vicki's story about Ben's condition and how Birmingham Children’s Hospital has helped to change their lives as a family - and please donate as much as you can to this amazing and important cause in support of one very mountainous challenge!

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"Ben was born with a rare and complex form of congenital heart disease called CCTGA and his heart stopped beating properly two months before he was born.

Ben was rushed to Birmingham Children's Hospital within two hours of being born and had to have a temporary pacemaker fitted that evening. That was the first time that Birmingham Children's Hospital saved Ben's life. Two days later, Ben developed fluid around his heart and had to have an emergency procedure to drain it. The doctors and nurses in intensive care immediately spotted that something wasn't right and acted without hesitation; Ben wouldn't be here without their incredibly impressive attention to detail. Ben then had his permanent pacemaker implanted at three weeks' old and we were able to take him home about two weeks later.

We were told that if we left Ben's CCTGA untreated it was likely that he would suffer from heart failure, although there was no way of knowing how old he would be when that would happen. It was really difficult to get our heads around Ben's condition but we knew that we wanted to give him the best possible chance of living a long and happy life. We therefore agreed for him to undergo surgery known as a "double switch" in October when he was 19 months old to essentially replumb his heart.

The surgery was very complex and carried a lot of risks with it. Ben was in the operating theatre for 10 hours and his heart was stopped for four of those. Amazingly, the surgery was a resounding success and one of the doctors recently told us that he has never seen anyone recover as quickly as Ben has. We have witnessed incredible levels of care, compassion and expertise from the doctors and nurses that we have met during our time in hospital and we are so grateful to each and every one of them for their unwavering commitment to the children in their care.

We never allowed ourselves to think about the future before Ben's surgery as we were so worried about his life expectancy. Now, for the first time, we feel confident that Ben is going to outlive us and we can let ourselves imagine what it will be like on Ben's first day at school and what he'll be like when he grows up. It's the most wonderful feeling.

We can't thank Birmingham Children's Hospital enough for what they've done and will continue to do for Ben. Not only have they saved Ben's life twice but they have also saved us from forever living in limbo not knowing what the future might hold and given Ben a real chance at life. We hope that everyone reading this will understand what a vital lifeline the hospital is for children like Ben and what a life changing impact it makes to so many families."

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At Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, we believe there’s always more we can do for our sick kids and that’s why we will always strive to do more for our patients and families. It’s our mission to raise the vital funds needed to make a real difference to all who use our hospital.Your support empowers us to take innovative approaches to treating some of the sickest children in the UK. Your fundraising enables us to make our hospital feel just like home. Your donations are helping us to find new ways to treat and cure childhood diseases.