Marathon effort inspired by friend

A woman form Buckinghamshire has been inspired to run in next month’s London Marathon to raise funds for the charity that supported her close friend’s family.

44 year old Ziggy Hill has chosen to raise money for Harrison’s Fund after her friend, Zoe Muskett’s, nephew was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Leo Devlin was diagnosed with Duchenne when he was two years old – he is now six.

The charity works to fund research into Duchenne – a rare genetic condition which affects all the muscles in the body, causing them to waste away.  Harrison’s Fund’s goal is to get as much money as possible into the hands of the world’s best researchers, who are working to find a cure for Duchenne. The charity is currently funding 12 research projects in the US and the UK.

Mum of two, Ziggy said: “Zoe’s family came across the charity online and they were very supportive in the early days following Leo’s diagnosis. The family itself have held fundraising events for the charity over the last few years and I know it’ a small charity so I thought it would be great to support them again in my own way.

“I’ve been training weekly to get fit ahead of the big day as I’ve only ever run in half marathons before – nothing as big as this, but I know the thought of Leo and all the other children out there like him will give me all the motivation I need to make it round the course and across that finish line.”

Ziggy is also raising money for Piggles Trust which creates early years educational facilities in hospitals across the country. She added: “I worked with the Trust’s founder, Caroline Martin, whose little girl was born with a heart defect and sadly passed away at the age of four. The family went through so much stress and long hospital visits that I want to support their work and their amazing team.”

The Virgin Money London Marathon will take place on Sunday 22^nd April and is one of the world’s biggest marathon’s.

Heather Smith, Head of Fundraising at Harrison’s Fund said: “We are so grateful to the support of people like Ziggy who take on these challenges for us. As a small charity, every penny really does make a difference to us and the families who are fighting this life destroying illness every day.” 

To support Ziggy please visit: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ZiggyHill

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