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Northants woman tackles London Marathon for children like Lily - 14/03/08

A Northamptonshire woman is taking part in the Flora London marathon on Sunday 13 April to help thousands of children with liver disease after her friend’s daughter was diagnosed with a life threatening condition shortly after birth.

Katy Briggs (35) from Mawsley is taking part in the world famous race to raise funds for Children’s Liver Disease Foundation (CLDF), a unique national organisation dedicated to fighting all liver diseases of childhood. 

Katy learnt of CLDF’s work after Lily, the daughter of friends Sarah and David Hobbs from Kettering, was diagnosed with biliary atresia when she was three weeks old.  Biliary atresia is an incurable condition in which the bile ducts become progressively blocked leading to irreversible liver damage.

Lily underwent a corrective operation when she was seven weeks old and CLDF helped the family to cope by providing information and emotional support. Lily, who celebrates her third birthday on 6 April, is now progressing well with daily medication and regular assessments and Sarah Hobbs has become a local ambassador for the charity to raise awareness of its work.

Katy says: “Since Lily was diagnosed I’ve learnt that thousands of babies, children and young people are affected by liver disease through no fault of their own or their parents. I have also seen the difference that CLDF can make to a family and I really wanted to do something to help other families like them.”

Katy completed the Great North Run half marathon for CLDF in September raising £600.  She hopes the marathon run will raise £1,500 for the charity which, in addition to its family support programme, also funds research into the causes of childhood liver disease and helps to educate healthcare professionals.

Katy adds: “Ever since I completed the race in 2005 I’ve been keen to take part again.  It is such a fantastic day and I am hoping to beat my previous time of five hours, ten minutes.  However the most important thing is to raise as much as possible for CLDF and I hope that local people will offer support for this fantastic charity by sponsoring my run.”

Catherine Arkley, chief executive of Children’s Liver Disease Foundation says: “The money Katy and her supporters raise will help make a huge difference to thousands of families like Lily’s who are devastated by a diagnosis of childhood liver disease. To these families CLDF is a lifeline, enabling them to have 24/7 access to information and support whenever they need it.  However these services can only continue with public support and every penny really does make a difference.”

Anyone wishing to offer support can visit Katy’s special online sponsorship page at www.justgiving.com/katybriggs

For further information on the work of the Foundation, please visit www.childliverdisease.org or call 0121 212 3839.

- Ends -

Rachel Markham, Children’s Liver Disease Foundation,
Tel: 0121 212 6012, e-mail: communications@childliverdisease.org

Jill Priest, Professional Communications,
Tel: 01886 822077 or 07940 534505, email: jill@profcomms.co.uk

Note to editors:
Children’s Liver Disease Foundation is a unique national charity that fights childhood liver diseases through funding pioneering research and educating healthcare professionals and the general public. Formed in 1980, it provides professional, emotional support to families affected and is the only organisation of its kind in the UK.

Childhood liver disease – the facts
• More children in the UK are currently diagnosed with a liver disease than childhood leukaemia
• At least two children are diagnosed with a liver disease every day in the UK
• Most childhood liver diseases are life threatening; all mean a lifetime of care
• There are over 100 different liver diseases that can affect babies, children or young people
• For most childhood liver diseases the cause is unknown
• Liver disease has no cure
• CLDF is the only organisation in the UK dedicated to stamping out childhood liver disease