#runneroftheweek - David Williams

David Williams, 35, from Clacton-on-Sea, will be putting his body to the test as he runs 13.1 miles for The Sick Children’s Trust, a charity that gave him and wife, Tina, free accommodation at its ‘Home from Home’ Chestnut House when their

Little Aoife, who is just about to turn one, didn’t have the easiest start to life. When she was born at the family’s local hospital, she suffered acute Meconium Aspiration Syndrome (which meant she had her first bowel movement inside her Mum and ingested it into her lungs). This had a major impact on her breathing and also put her at risk of infection and neurological problems. Aoife was rushed to The Rosie Hospital in Cambridge – over an hour and a half away from home – where she was treated. David says:

“A year on, it is amazing to see how far Aoife has come. Talking about that time is still very emotional for Tina and I but we can’t express how grateful we are to The Sick Children’s Trust for giving us a helping hand when we needed it the most. In the early days, Tina and Aoife were separated, but for her to know that I had a somewhere to stay and could be with Aoife was a huge relief.

“Chestnut House was our ‘Home from Home’ for ten days and it was absolutely fantastic. It meant we could visit Aoife at all hours and when we weren’t by her side, we could relax as there was a direct telephone line from the ward to our room. Despite how ill she was I didn’t have a sleepless night because there was the phone and I was just minutes away from her bedside. Sleep is very important at the most of times, but especially in terms of your emotional and physical wellness in a situation like this.

“We want to help other families who have sick children, so that’s why I’ve put myself forward to do The Royal Parks Half Marathon. Aoife’s start to life was such a rollercoaster and we couldn’t have got through it without The Sick Children’s Trust.” 

Thank you David and good luck!