Teenager raises money for diabetes patients in memory of beloved grandfather
A 13-year-old girl has completed a five kilometre charity run around Walsall Arboretum in memory of her grandfather who died earlier this year of cancer.
Kiera Osborne-Hales from Essington has raised £175 for diabetes patients at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust as a tribute to her grandfather, Rob Hales.
Rob was a long-term diabetes patient who died at the age of 65 on May 25 after contracting pancreatic cancer.
Kiera's hard-earned donations will now go towards the treatment of patients at the Wolverhampton Diabetes Centre at New Cross Hospital, in memory of her grandfather.
The 13-year-old, who is a Year 9 student at Cheslyn Hay High School, joined her dad Terry, who is Rob’s son, for the charity run.
Kiera’s mum Laura, is a catering assistant at New Cross. The 37-year-old said: "Rob was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 13 and he coped with this throughout his life, although he couldn’t eat his favourite things.
"In 2015 he was one of the first patients to receive the pump (a small electronic device that releases regular insulin a diabetic needs), which he said was a godsend.
"He took a particular liking to Jenny Dudley and Brett Healey who work at the Diabetes Centre and he was a fun-loving character who loved to have a joke with them."
Kiera’s grandmother, 60-year-old Chris Osborne, is discharge co-ordinator for West Midlands Ambulance Service, also based at New Cross.
She said: "What Kiera did was amazing – she went above and beyond. She was very upset by Rob’s death and said she wanted to do something in his memory.
"She came up with the idea and her teachers at school helped her with sponsorship forms and she got all the sponsors herself. She’s never run before so she hadn’t trained for it but she loved it.
"Her dad did it with her and I’m hoping she will carry on with her running and do some more charity work."
A carer to his disabled wife Julie, Rob was a dedicated family man. Jenny Dudley, senior sister at the Diabetes Centre, said: "Rob was under our care for many years and because he spent such a large part of his life here, he is remembered very fondly by a lot of the staff.
"He was a special, wonderful man with a wicked sense of humour and was a pleasure to look after, so we miss him very much. We also supported him with end of life care and helped with the District Nurses, so we were saddened to hear he had died.
"When we saw the family come in for the photo, I couldn’t help but shed a tear. He was just a lovely bloke – one of those people who will stay in your mind for a long time.
"Rob thought the world of his family and it was lovely to see what Kiera did in his memory. We will ensure this money benefits patients."
Amanda Winwood, charity development manager, added: "Well done Kiera on such an energetic fundraiser! It’s lovely that Rob has been remembered in such a fond way and that future patients will benefit from his grand-daughter’s actions."
