Six years after their newly born baby underwent open heart surgery a family has completed an epic run to thank the charity which helped them stay by her side.
The Neal family, from Weymouth, were supported by the Ronald McDonald House Southampton on December 2016, when their first baby, Caitlyn, underwent open heart surgery at just six days old at the nearby hospital.
Ronald McDonald House is a charity that provides free ‘home away from home’ accommodation for families with children in hospital.
Keen to give something back after staying at the house for two weeks, three members of the family, including Caitlyn, took on a personal running challenge from Weymouth and ending at the Southampton facility.
Dad Carl, a physiotherapist, set off in the early hours of the morning and ran the full 66 miles from their home in Weymouth to Southampton. Then mum Ceri, an online supermarket shopper, joined him part-way through at Southbourne, and the couple completed the final 28.5 miles together.
Their now six-year-old daughter Caitlyn, a year two pupil at St Nicholas and St Laurence CE Primary School in Weymouth, joined her proud parents for the last three miles, a big step up from her usual 2k junior parkrun distance.
Carl said: “The Ronald McDonald House cost us nothing but gave us so much. It enabled us to stay close to Caitlyn. If we felt anxious in the night, we could simply cross the road and go and see her. It gave us somewhere to rest in real comfort. It gave us somewhere to cook, eat and get proper nutrition, which is so important when in such stressful times.”
Ceri added: “It enabled us to spend time with family and friends when they came to visit, away from the clinical hospital environment. It gave us time to spend with our girl. Without Ronald McDonald House we would’ve spent hundreds of pounds on hotel and travel costs, or even had to sleep in our car. We can’t thank them enough and this is why we want to give something back.”
The couple, who are also parents to five-year-old Cory, have already exceeded their fundraising target of £1,000, raising more than £2,365. But they hope to raise as much money as possible for the charity, which runs 14 ‘home away from home’ houses supporting families with children in hospitals, all around the UK.
Ceri said: “We’re absolutely delighted with our fundraising total and thank all our friends and family for their generosity. Other than some blisters, we’re feeling surprisingly good after the run. We’re incredibly proud of Caitlyn for her involvement. When she was a baby, the doctors said she may suffer brain damage or worse, not survive her heart condition, so to see her now so strong, healthy and happy, is just amazing.”
To donate via the Neal family’s fundraiser, visit: www.justgiving.com/page/runtosouthampton To find out more about Ronald McDonald House Charities UK, visit: www.rmhc.org.uk
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