A school pupil from Willenhall has crossed the line to top this week’s Charity Champion leaderboard after raising £1,000 for our charity.

Seven-year-old Rhys Sheamar, a pupil at Phoenix Academy, took part in the Great Birmingham Mini Run last October to raise vital funds for the hospital which cared for him when he was a baby. 

When Rhys was born, he was diagnosed with duodenal atresia - a condition which obstructs the intestine in new-born babies. He needed urgent surgery on his stomach. Following the operation, he spent two weeks on the hospital’s high dependency unit.

His mum, Kirsty, 33, said: “We are all so proud of Rhys. He has autism and ADHD as well as sensory processing disorder, so the whole day was a huge deal. It was busy, noisy and not to mention wet!

“Seeing Rhys running along the course was such an emotional moment, he was really trying hard to finish and when he picked up his medal, he was over the moon. It’s a hugely rewarding feeling to know we’re able to give something back to the hospital which saved Rhys’ life seven years ago.”

Serena Daw, Public Fundraising Manager at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “The Great Birmingham Junior and Mini run is always a popular event for our previous patients and we’re so thankful that Rhys chose to join #TeamBCH at the event and run for us. And to raise a huge £1,000 is just fantastic.

“We’d like to say a big thank you to Rhys and all of his family and friends who sponsored him. The money he has donated will go a long way in making a huge difference to our 90,000 sick kids treated at our hospital each year, ensuring they have the best possible experience while they are here.”

If you’re inspired by Rhys’s story and would like to take on any of the Great Birmingham Run events in 2019, please visit bch.org.uk, call 0121 333 8506 or email [email protected]