A care home manager from a Malvern village will run the London Marathon to raise money for the charity that takes care of his godson.

Megan Morgan, from Leigh Sinton, aims to raise vital funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSH Charity) this Sunday (April 23).

Megan is taking part on behalf of the charity in honour of her godson Daniel aged four, who has been treated at GOSH for years after being diagnosed with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome when he was just 12-weeks-old.

A rare genetic immunodeficiency that keeps a child’s immune system from functioning properly, Daniel’s diagnosis has meant he has received two different bone marrow transplants at GOSH, with him getting to spend his first ever Christmas at home in 2022.

As well as running the marathon for Daniel, Megan is also taking on the ultimate challenge in honour of the lifetime of friendship she has enjoyed with both Daniel’s mum, Georgie, from Cambridgeshire, and Hannah Hall who will be running alongside her on the day.

Having experienced a childhood cancer diagnosis herself, Megan feels an extra special bond with Daniel and his whole family, including his older sister, Holly.

Megan Morgan said: “Daniel is my main motivation for taking on the London Marathon, but it all just felt right when I saw that GOSH Charity was raising money to build a new Children’s Cancer Centre. I had cancer myself as a child when I was three, so it felt like it all fit together.

“The training has been hard. I’m not a runner at all, but I’m really pleased with how it’s going so far. I’m hoping running up the Malvern Hills will leave me in good stead for taking on the, hopefully much flatter, London course!

“Having had my own experience when I was a child, I feel like I can understand what Daniel is going through. I’m also Holly’s godmother so I can relate to her too.

"Georgie and I have been friends pretty much since we were born, and she helped get me through being in hospital.

"I always remember her being there for me and that’s what I want to do for Holly and Daniel. It’s going to be a huge challenge, but you’ve got just look at Daniel’s little face or any of the other children who are treated at GOSH, and it spurs you on.”

Team GOSH runners taking part in this year’s TCS London Marathon will be raising money to build a new Children’s Cancer Centre at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), as part of the charity’s Build it. Beat it fundraising appeal.

Every day around 600 children from across the UK arrive at GOSH for specialist care, and the charity exists to fund the hospital’s most urgent needs. GOSH sees the most rare and difficult-to-treat childhood cancers, with around 500 children with cancer being referred for treatment every year – more than any hospital in the UK.

Liz Tait, director of fundraising at GOSH Charity, said: “We’re so grateful to Megan and to all our supporters for taking part in this amazing challenge and we can’t wait to be there on the day to cheer everyone on.

"With the help of our inspirational TCS London Marathon Team GOSH participants, we’ll fundraise to help make our vision of a new Children’s Cancer Centre, a reality and make a real difference to the lives of children with cancer, who are cared for at Great Ormond Street Hospital.” 

To sponsor Megan, please visit her JustGiving page and to find out more about GOSH Charity’s TCS London Marathon Charity of the Year team, please visit www.gosh.org