On August 30th, I’ll be running my 30th marathon through the streets of Buckingham, Buckinghamshire. This week’s cause is the resilience of children living with serious heart conditions. I’m running in support of CHUF—the Children’s Heart Unit Fund—a charity that supports babies, children, and young adults receiving specialist cardiac care.

The What:

For families with seriously ill children, the hospital isn’t just a place—they live there. Long stays, invasive treatments, and uncertain futures become the norm. Children born with heart conditions or who suffer sudden cardiac trauma often need highly complex care from birth into young adulthood. It’s not just about surviving a surgery—it’s about learning to live a full life after one. These young patients miss school, milestones, and memories others take for granted. Hospital support is about making sure they don’t miss out on care, hope, and childhood, too.

The Why:

Because no child should have to be brave every day just to stay alive, this charity was the first time a follower reached out to me to run for a cause close to their heart, a charity that saved her life. In 2011, she caught a virus that ended up attacking her heart and later required a transplant. She waited 6 months for a transplant, and while she did, she remained in the hospital attached to a machine that pumped her heart for her. However, after multiple other diagnoses of other health issues, 9 years later, including cancer, a second transplant was needed. Her recovery wasn’t straightforward, spending Christmas in hospital, losing the ability to walk and still feeling the effects of her condition today. That’s why I'm running for CHUF. I’m running for her and the children still waiting for a transplant, for the siblings sitting in waiting rooms, for the parents holding onto hope hour by hour, for a charity that saves lives.

What is CHUF and What Do They Do?

CHUF—The Children’s Heart Unit Fund—supports the Freeman Hospital’s Children’s Heart Unit in Newcastle and its outreach services across the UK. They fund revolutionary medical equipment, parent accommodation, play therapy, post-surgical rehabilitation, and emotional support for entire families, something that A, expressed wholeheartedly. Beyond survival, CHUF helps children thrive. Their motto, "hearts for life," reflects a commitment to both physical recovery and lifelong wellbeing. Whether it’s specialist nursing or a magical memory day, CHUF is there for every heartbeat along the journey.

Every contribution helps a child feel more than just “a patient”:

• £10 provides toys or creative supplies to make long hospital stays less isolating.

• £30 funds a counselling session for a young heart patient or their sibling.

• £75 helps cover accommodation for families staying close to their child in critical care.

• £150 contributes to life-changing medical equipment or rehabilitation services.

CHUF helps these children and families feel supported, not alone. Please donate if you can.