Father to run half marathon after daughter diagnosed with cancer
A doting father is running the Stafford Half Marathon with a group of friends to raise money for charity after his daughter was diagnosed with leukaemia.
Ellie Birch was just three years old when she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia last January, and has since undergone a rigorous chemotherapy regime which will continue well into 2020 in order to ensure the she is cancer free.
Ellie's parents, Jenny and Eddie, became worried last year when Ellie started to become lethargic and pale, but after taking her to the GP were told it was a normal winter virus.
Ellie quickly deteriorated and after Jenny noticed some red spots appear on her arm, took her to A&E one evening while Eddie was at home with their two-year-old son Henry. They were given the devastating news that Ellie had cancer.
Ellie was taken to Birmingham Children's Hospital to undergo further tests and to begin treatment. So far Ellie's prognosis is 95 per cent.
Eddie, a senior family support worker from Staffordshire County Council, will be running the Stafford Half Marathon with six friends to raise money for Childhood Cancer Parents Alliance (CCPA) - a Staffordshire based charity - and Children with Cancer UK.
You can donate by clicking on https://www.justgiving.com/teams/forEllie. They are also aiming to raise awareness and urge people to donate blood, as donations are vital to Ellie and other children suffering from cancer.
