Siblings take on Great North Run to help heart charity
A brother and sister are taking on a half marathon in a bid to help heart disease research.
Scott and Claire Baker will be part of the Great North Run next month to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
Scott, 32, from Simonside, South Shields, was born with a congenital heart defect called transposition of the great arteries, which meant that the major arteries leaving the heart were the wrong way round.
He had to undergo major surgery at nine months old and, in November, will be fitted with a pacemaker to help control his heart rate.
Scott, a design engineer, said: “I’m not sure what the future holds when it comes to my heart, which is an outlook that is often hard to face. But supporting the foundation’s vital work means I don’t have to give up hope and for now, I’m determined to show that just because you have a bad heart, it shouldn’t stop you doing what you love.”
With 12 babies being diagnosed with congenital heart defects in the UK every day, the are taking on the challenge as a way to support the BHF, so that more lives can be saved.
Money raised will go towards the BHF’s research into heart and circulatory disease, which is the cause of more than a quarter of all deaths in the UK.
Claire, 27, said: “We always like to support the charity, as they’ve always been there for Scott. Now he’s taking on such a famous event – it’s incredible to think how far Scott has come and I’m so proud of him.
“Every year we cheer on the thousands of people who run past my house, but this year, we’ll be joining them.”
To sponsor the pair, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/clairerosebaker.