Every year Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity has one of the biggest charity teams at the Great Birmingham Half Marathon. With just four weeks to go, the charity shines a spotlight on three of its kind-hearted runners who are tackling the pavement to do more for its sick kids. 

Loving granddad, 50-year-old Paul Glover, has also signed up to the Half Marathon to not only get himself fit, but to give back to the hospital which helped his two grandchildren in their time of urgent need.

In 2014 doctors found that Paul had a blood clot in his heart and lungs, he said: “Since the day I fell ill, I vowed to lose weight, get fit and live my life to the full.

“I am excited to be running for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity. The hospital has cared for two of my grandsons, Theo and Robson, so to give back to them would just be amazing. My youngest grandson, one-year-old Theo, was born with a double aortic arch – a rare congenital cardiovascular malformation - and the children’s hospital saved his life. My other grandson, four-year-old Robson, was also treated at the hospital as he suffers with severe epilepsy. Robson was recently in Intensive Care at the hospital but thanks to the amazing staff, both our boys are now thriving.

“Running the Half Marathon is my way of doing something positive for the hospital which means so much to us. My fundraising is going towards the Intensive Care Unit (PICU), where Theo was treated, I hope that the money will go on to help other children and other families who use the ward.”