THE race is on to raise £100,000 for young patients at Oxford Children’s Hospital.

This year’s OX5 Run at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock attracted 960 runners who raised a record £97,000 for the hospital – and organisers are hoping to clear the £100,000 hurdle in 2014.

Now in its 12th year, the five-mile run organised by the Oxford Mail will be held on Sunday, March 30, around the palace grounds, and runners are being urged to pull out all the stops to reach the target to pay for new equipment and toys.

Oxford Mail editor Simon O’Neill said: “Just a few years ago, raising £100,000 with the OX5 Run would have been just a dream, but it is now close to becoming reality.

“It shows how this event and the fine work of all those at the children’s hospital has captured public imagination.

“We’re proud to see £97,000 raised this year and surely we can see the £100,000 finishing line clearly on the horizon.”

This year’s total was the run’s highest and Jacob McWilliam’s family says raising the cash is vital.

The 13-week-old baby from Littlemore, Oxford, was rushed into hospital on October 2 after he stopped breathing.

Mum Eve McWilliam, 33, said: “I was really scared that the worst might happen. When a baby stops breathing it is pretty scary.

“When we got to A and E he stabilised and started breathing on his own again.

“The staff were very friendly and great with Jacob, they treated him like a person.”

The mum-of-two added: “I think it is very important to fundraise – the staff do an amazing job.”

Erin Brewer, nine, from Banbury, has cystic fibrosis and goes to the hospital every three months for a two-week session of IV antibiotics.

Her grandmother Karen Boniface, 50, said: “Without this charity fundraising, there wouldn’t be half as much equipment as there is there.

“It makes it better for the children.”

Two-year-old Maizie Rose, from Abingdon, is being treated at the children’s hospital for neuroblastoma, a rare childhood cancer. A tumour was removed about a month ago and she is responding well to treatment.

The children’s hospital opened in 2007 and is part of West Wing building at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Headington.

Children’s Hospital fundraiser Penny Hambridge said: “This year’s runners raised an amazing £97,000 at our annual Oxford Mail OX5 Run. This is a huge sum which has smashed all previous records.

“We are incredibly grateful to everyone who took part in the run, and of course the organisers at the Oxford Mail and sponsors Allen Associates.”

She added: “Following the success of this spring’s run we have been able to purchase some important new equipment, including two open incubators for babies and an ultrasound machine for minimally invasive surgery on children, which means children have to spend less time in hospital.”

 

How to take part

  • People can run individually or as part of a team.
  • It costs £10 to enter and all runners are asked to aim to raise £100 or more.
  • To register visit hospitalcharity.co.uk/ox5run