AN ATHLETIC dad from Worcestershire has strapped on his running shoes to raise cash for the clinic which cared for both his young daughters in their first few weeks of life.

Graham Edwards ran the Worcester marathon on Sunday, May 4 in the latest in a very long line of fundraising efforts for the children’s clinic at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

Mr Edwards and his wife Em are frequent visitors to the clinic as both their young daughters, nine-month-old Mabel and two-year-old Amelia, suffer from Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency (PKD).

The girls are among only about 12 people in the Midlands who suffer from the blood disorder, which means they need constant monitoring and will need blood transfusions for the rest of their lives.

Last year the family from Fernhill Heath near Worcester raised £1,600 to thank the clinic for the care Amelia received when she was just five weeks old.

Mr Edwards said: “Our eldest little girl had a rough start in life, spending a stressful four days in intensive care just 12 hours after coming into this world.

“Unsure what caused her severe jaundice and low blood count she underwent a series of blood tests.

“Now our latest addition to the family, Mabel Lily, has PKD and she too is a little fighter.

“At all times the staff in the children’s clinic have been so reassuring and helpful to us.

“They have really helped us through a lot of traumatic times.”

As well as taking on the marathon earlier this month, Mr Edwards and some of his colleagues from Adecco Recruitment in St Nicholas Street, Worcester, are planning on cycling the five mountain stages of the Tour de France in the Pyrenees as well as an Ironman even later in the year.

Senior staff nurse at the children’s clinic Charlotte Hughes said she and her colleagues were extremely grateful to the Edwards family for all their fundraising work.

“We could not believe that Graham was taking on an even bigger challenge and wanted to support us further,” she said.

“It really does make a big difference to you.

“If children or young people are comfortable in the environment, then they will feel more relaxed and confident in coming to see us in children’s clinic.

“We very much appreciate all that the Edwards family have done and do for us.”

To sponsor Mr Edwards visit www.justgiving.com/Graham-Edwards6.