A toddler from Newton le Willows who was born with a rare liver disease has raised over £600 to help other children like him by doing his very own version of Parkrun! Two-year-old Zachary Donaldson has the rare condition alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, and his parents, Gemma and Paul have received information and support from Children’s Liver Disease Foundation (CLDF) since his diagnosis. So, when it came to joining in with Big Yellow Friday, the charity’s annual awareness and fundraising day, they decided they’d like to do something special.
“We thought that Zachary doing Parkrun would be a great way of raising awareness and funds for a cause which means a great deal to us,” explains Gemma. “Obviously he’s too young to register but the wonderful people at St Helens Junior Parkrun allowed him to join in for 2K yesterday (March 9) and have a separate finish line – with yellow ribbon of course!
“Zachary did so well. He ran most of it, got carried for some of it, and crossed the finish line with mummy and daddy by his side. He absolutely loved it and completely smashed his original fundraising target of £100. We’re so proud of him!”
“Many people don’t realise that liver disease is something which affects babies and children,” says Michelle Wilkins, Head of Children’s and Families Services at CLDF, which has now merged with the British Liver Trust to bring children’s and adult liver support services together. “But every year in the UK, around 400 children are diagnosed with a condition for which there is still no cure. A diagnosis means a lifetime of medical care and the effect on families is devastating.
“We provide those young people and their families with information, emotional support and a united voice. Big Yellow Friday is a great opportunity to raise much needed funds and awareness of these little-known but complex conditions, so we are delighted to hear of Zachary’s amazing achievement. What a superstar he is!”
You can still support Zachary’s Parkrun at Gemma Donaldson is fundraising for British Liver Trust
