Trio took part in 10k for children’s charities

Nina Eastwood, Sian Rourke, and Nicola Frith completed the 10k run in aid of Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and Lagans Foundation, a charity which supports families of children with congenital heart disease.

The friends formed the SuperTed team, in celebration of Sian’s son Ted, who is recovering from surgery in February after 18 months of ill health.

Nicola and Nina know more than most what Sian has gone through, as all three have sons under the age of three who have undergone open heart surgery at Alder Hey.

Nicola, from Goostrey, has a two-year-old boy called Finn, who was born with Hypoplastic Aortic Arch. He went into cardiac arrest as a baby and had six hours of open-heart surgery to repair his aorta.

“Thankfully our story has a happy ending – he is now a happy, healthy boy with a cheeky smile and full of life,” she said.

“Raising money for Alder Hey will always be important to us as a family as we have experienced firsthand the wonderful work that goes on there.”

Nina, from Summers Way, Knutsford, has a similar story to tell. Her son Luca was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallouts (TOF) as a baby and at six months, underwent eight hours of open heart surgery.

“He will be three in August and is full of energy and very cheeky,” she said. “If it wasn’t for Alder Hey’s excellent surgeons, specialists and nurses, Luca might not be here today.”

Sian’s son Ted, who was also diagnosed with TOF, is 14 weeks post-op and is doing well.

“I have a new little boy now living with us,” she said. “Alder Hey has given him a quality of life he could only dream of having. No amount of fundraising could ever re-pay that but if our fundraising can help another family have the same outcome, then it’s all been worthwhile.”

The ‘Superted team’ have raised a total of £2,735 for the two organisations, but there is still time to donate.

Visit their fundraising website: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/Superted