Cheshire mum takes on the London Marathon to support Macclesfield Hospital

A Cheshire mum will be lacing up her running shoes this April, as she prepares to run the London Marathon in support of the East Cheshire NHS Charity.

Helen Vye lives in Macclesfield with her son Owen and her husband Tris. Owen, age 20 months, has a very rare condition that affects one in 100,000 newborns, called Autoimmune Neutropenia, a blood disorder that causes the body's immune system to attack its own white blood cells, which help fight infection. 

Helen, who works for the multinational professional services network KPMG, said:

“When Owen was 8 months old he was diagnosed with Autoimmune Neutropenia, which makes him more vulnerable to severe bacterial infections, and ever since we’ve been frequently in and out of hospital. 

“What has made a huge difference to Owens' stays in hospital has been the care we’ve received on the Children’s Ward at Macclesfield Hospital, where the staff go above and beyond to put a smile on his face.

“And one thing we noticed is very often it’s the little things that make a big impact when caring for a child on the ward. This includes toys to play with and iPads to use when distracting him from uncomfortable procedures. These things are often provided by the East Cheshire NHS Charity, so I'm proud to be fundraising for them, specifically the Children's Ward.

“So, come April, I'll be lacing up my running shoes to run the London Marathon, my first and only marathon. It’s going to be a huge challenge for me, but a very worthwhile one as I’ll be both raising awareness of Autoimmune Neutropenia and raising money for the charity.

“My employer KPMG has already pledged £100 and I’m hoping local people and organisations, and anyone effected by Autoimmune Neutropenia, will also sponsor me.”

Helen’s fundraising page can be found at: 

www.justgiving.com/page/helen-vye-1733134033154.

To get involved in fundraising for East Cheshire NHS Charity, as an individual, group or workplace, get in touch with the fundraising team by emailing: 

ecn-tr.ecnhscharity@nhs.net

or by visiting: 

www.eastcheshirenhscharity.org

Pictured: Owen, Helen and Tris.