Westbury mums Ali Wood and Karen Wilkin will be taking on the Bath Half Marathon in March to raise money for Ronald McDonald House, which supported them while their children were at Bristol Children’s Hospital.

The charity in Bristol provides free accommodation to families of critically ill children receiving care at the hospital, allowing them to be close to their child’s medical team.

Mrs Wood, who lives in Primmers Place, was accommodated by Ronald McDonald House for 15 weeks in 2012 while her son Tyler, 11, waited for a suitable heart transplant donor.

She will be joined on the run by long-time friend Karen Wilkin, who was also provided with accommodation by the charity when her daughter Grace, six, needed heart surgery shortly after she was born.

Mrs Wood, who also ran the Bath Half in 2012, said: “It’s the first time I’ve run to raise money for Ronald McDonald House, but it is a brilliant cause and provided me with a lot of support.

“The facilities are incredible and it is like a home from home, with everything you could possibly need. The staff were really welcoming as well and really helped me whenever I had a tough day.

“I wouldn’t have got through it without the support from Ronald McDonald House. Tyler had the transplant in November 2012 and now he is healthy and doing really well.

“I have always done a bit of running and I have been part of the Westbury running group for about three years.
“The last time I ran the Bath Half I did it in 2hrs 43mins and I want to try and beat it this year.”
The two friends have already raised £360 for Ronald McDonald House, but they want to raise as much as they can for the charity before visiting it with their children to thank staff and give them the money.
Mrs Wood, 42, added: “We don’t have a specific target, we just want to raise as much as we can before meeting the staff.”

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/Karen-Wilkin1