Paul Abbey takes part in Run for Kids to help the RCH
A very brave two-year-old Lottie Abbey underwent life-changing surgery at the Royal Children’s Hospital. Now her dad is hoping to raise thousands of dollars to help kids like his daughter.
VIC News
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Paul Abbey will be running with heart when he tackles the Herald Sun/Transurban Run for the Kids this year.
Mr Abbey’s two-year-old daughter, Lottie, was a patient in the Royal Children’s Hospital recovering from a life-changing surgery when he finished the run last year.
Lottie was born premature at just 27 weeks, weighing only 761 grams, and spent much of her early life in hospital with breathing issues.
She had a radical eight-hour surgery to rebuild her airway to allow her to breathe properly, and her proud dad said she had been doing “fantastically” since.
“It’s a really grounding, very humbling experience,” Mr Abbey told the Herald Sun.
“You might think you’ve had a bad day, then you think, ‘no … we’ve had some really bad days’.”
Mr Abbey said competing in the fun run, a major fundraiser for the Good Friday Appeal, was a way to give back to the hospital.
“Without it being there she wouldn’t be with us, or the position she’s in now,” he said.
“There are those times though where it can be difficult and confronting (in hospital), but the work they do is second to none.”
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Mr Abbey is aiming to match the $11,706 he raised last year and hopes the money can boost research efforts to help kids just like his daughter.
Run for the Kids on March 29 will feature an updated route that will take runners in both the 15km long route and the 5.2km Woodlea Short course over the Bolte Bridge.
Registration opens today at 10am, to enter visit runforthekids.com.au.