Training has taken Hayley to the windswept cliffs of Kynance!
Hayley is running the London Marathon to raise awareness and funds for Group B Strep Support. She was inspired to run by her 13 year old son Jay, who contracted sepsis caused by a suspected strep B infection.
She told us: ‘I’m honoured to be running for GBSS – it’s a cause close to our hearts. My second-born son Jay contracted strep B, within 48 hours of his birth in 2010. He deteriorated very quickly and we were so very lucky not to lose him. Fortunately due to him being born by c-section, we were still inpatients in the hospital and I firmly believe that that had this not been the case, he wouldn’t be alive today.
Baby Jay on the day he came home from hospital. Mum Hayley calls him ‘her little warrior’
Jay is now 13 and thriving. His family are ‘so grateful he is here’.
The motivated mum, who will be donning a tutu on race day, is also running in memory of her good friends’ son Ezrah.
She explains: ‘Our friends were not so fortunate and unthinkably lost their baby boy Ezrah when he was just 19 days old due to complications following a late onset group B strep infection. His incredible and graceful parents have already raised a staggering amount of money (in excess of £60k) to help this charity and others to RAISE AWARENESS, because that’s what this is about. This infection is catastrophic; I feel parents should be screened and babies could and should be saved through routine testing.
I’m pleased that my fundraising has gone really well – we have done bake sales, concerts at my restaurant, a summer fete and held charity car wash afternoons. My charity auction and the children’s fun run with their school and our local football club were the highlights!’
Hayley and best friend (and auctioneer extraordinaire!) Laura at the GBSS charity auction
She is looking forward to finally running the marathon:
‘I’m ready to conquer a bucket list dream of mine and to raise money for a charity I feel so strongly about. The GBSS team have been so supportive and I really can’t wait to meet them all in London. Bring it on!’
We are incredibly grateful to Hayley for all her fundraising efforts and look forward to cheering her on!
