Natasha Birkett

[p]I am running the Great North Run to raise funds for TOFS (tracheo-oesophageal fistula/oesophageal atresia) a charity which supports every baby that was born with TOF/OA through to adulthood. The charity also supports the people who care for them and also healthcare professionals. [/p][p] [/p][p]My brother was born with a H type TOF, on 13th August 2003, he was first operated on for this illness at the end of August when they eventually found out what was wrong with him. He got better but then he started going downhill again, he was constantly on antibiotics and he was losing a lot of weight. It wasn’t until the February when he was taken back into hospital that we found out his H type TOF had re-occurred . [/p][p]I was only young myself when going through this challenging time, I remember my baby brother as being hooked up to life support machines, him relying on his tracheostomy to breathe, him only being able to drink/eat through a tube in his belly. He spent weeks upon months in Alder Hey, surgery after surgery. [/p][p]My brother is now a very healthy 15 year old, who has achieved so much for a person that was told they would NEVER have an exercise tolerance. He plays for Scotland U16s rugby league team, toured in France and has played for the borders U16s rugby union squad. February last year, had his final operation(touchwood) which was to cover up the scars on his neck. My brother has put up a lot of challenges in his short 15 years of life and running the Great North Run is the least I can do for an amazing charity helping more families through what my family went through. [/p]