Former Leukaemia Patient Raises Over £6,100 For Hospital That Treated Him

A former leukaemia patient has given back to the hospital that treated him twenty years ago, running the Paris Marathon and raising over £6,100 on behalf of our charity.

Stevie Hayward, from Birmingham, ran the Paris Marathon on behalf of our sick kids, raising the money in grateful thanks for the care he received throughout most of his childhood. At the age of four, Stevie was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, and his earliest childhood memories are of spending time in our hospital, which became a home away from home for him while he was growing up.

As Stevie grew older, the significance of his illness and the impact on his family hit home. But he was also filled with gratitude for the specialist treatment he received, and the compassionate care of our doctors and nurses. He knew he wanted to go the distance for a good cause, and supporting our Children’s Hospital was a no brainer.

Stevie already knows the incredible power fundraising has. Stevie is the son of former footballer and Carlisle United captain, Steve Hayward, and when Stevie was ill, Carlisle United fans were quick to rally round the family, raising money to support our hospital’s oncology department.

Ready to play his own part and give back to the hospital in grateful thanks, Stevie started his marathon training with enthusiasm, but an early injury proved an initial set back, leaving him with only eight weeks to train for race day.

Stevie remained determined to push ahead for the sake of the cause. He trained hard, working with a running coach to meet his goals, and driven by a desire to change the lives of sick kids like himself all those years ago.

Seeing his commitment, friends, family and colleagues gave generously to support Stevie’s mission. Yet the biggest win of all was the support from Carlisle United fans, who once again wanted to play their part for Stevie and the hospital. The impact snowballed from there, and Stevie was able to smash his fundraising goals four times over, raising over £6,100 for sick kids.

Race day proved a phenomenal experience for Stevie. Surrounded by cheers and positive energy from the crowds, there were some tough moments, but he was able to push through to the finish line, filled with pride for what he’d achieved.

Stevie said: “Birmingham Children’s Hospital has been a massive part of my life, and running a marathon for them has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. There’s so much positivity on the day and hearing people you’ve never met cheering for you is just phenomenal.

“I received amazing care and treatment while I was a patient, but 20 years later, seeing first-hand the incredible charitably-funded facilities they have for the kids, like the recently opened MediCinema, left me speechless. The hospital does such incredible work, and if you’ve ever thought about fundraising for them, do it!”

Annie Eytle, Head of Public Fundraising at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “Seeing how far Stevie has come over the past 20 years, and his positive, resilient spirit is deeply moving.

“He’s an unstoppable force and we’re so grateful for all of his support, which will help us do more for the 100,000 patients who come through our hospital doors each year.”