Nurse's 13 half marathons in memory of son, 2

Claire started running when Axl was in hospital

A mother who lost her son to a rare blood disease plans to run 13 half marathons in a year in his memory.

Trainee nurse associate Claire Gearie, 44, started working at Bradford Royal Infirmary after two-year-old Axl's death in 2018.

Axl was born with a congenital disorder that meant his body did not produce enough red blood cells.

Mrs Gearie said she began running to raise money for toys for children in hospital whose learning might be delayed.

'Never forget'

She said that Axl and the other patients were "bored" while waiting for their treatment.

Mrs Gearie, who has two other children - Lucas, 13, and two-year-old River - said:

"When my son was in hospital, I noticed a massive issue regarding development.

"They were just bored constantly in a room. So I wanted to do something for children while they were going through a really difficult time."

When she was pregnant with Axl, Mrs Gearie was told that he might not survive and at birth he was diagnosed with dyserythropoietic anemia.

He was given a bone marrow transplant and chemotherapy, but he died three days before his third birthday.

"We'd never forget Axl, but I was terrified that other people would forget Axl," she added.

Axl passed away in March 2018

She took up running while Axl was in hospital, when nurses would play with him for an hour. She originally spent her breaks in a Costa coffee shop before realising that exercise helped her with the stress of the situation.

"I was there ready to be able to look after him better because I was coming back with a different frame of mind."

The Great North Run on 8 September will be the start of her challenge, and her 13th race will be the same event in 2025.

She has a target of raising £1,000 but said "anything past that is a bonus".

Mrs Gearie added: "Even just £1 makes a massive difference and it all adds up."

She has already collected over £20,000 in donations for the Bradford Hospitals Charity since Axl's death.

The charity's head of fundraising, Lisa Williams, said: "Claire's dedication to fundraising in memory of Axl is truly inspirational.

"Her unwavering support exemplifies her commitment to making a difference.

"We are incredibly grateful for her continued support and wish her the best of luck in her upcoming half marathon challenges."

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