Harrogate's Sam Devlin has launched a fundraising campaign to support his young cousin, William, who was born with a rare birth defect.
Harrogate man to fundraise in aid of young cousin with rare birth defect A Harrogate man has launched a fundraising campaign to support his young cousin, who was born with a rare birth defect. Sam Devlin will be running the London Marathon in April in support of 1-year-old William, who was born on New Year’s Day in 2023. At just 36 hours old, William was diagnosed with Oesophageal Atresia with Tracheoesophageal Fistula - commonly known as ‘TOF’ in the UK. This rare birth defect means that the upper part of the oesophagus doesn't connect with the lower oesophagus and stomach, leading to respiratory and digestion issues. William was transferred to a local children’s hospital and underwent corrective surgery before beginning on the road to recovery. Sam said:
“The trouble with 'TOF' is that although the survival rate is nearly 100% in the UK, it’s a relatively new condition with lifelong implications. “Some of those implications can be narrowing at the surgical site which requires stretches, acid reflux, and respiratory issues.”TOF sufferers also have a squeaky 'TOF cough' that can make people think they are sick when they're not. William has had one stretch so far and is slowly learning to eat solid food. With his cousin in mind, Sam is fundraising for Action Medical Research - a charity that focusses on funding research to prevent and treat disease and disability in babies and children. He said:
“I wanted to support Action Medical Research because I felt it would be the best thing I could do to make a difference and give the babies effected by post-partum complications a fighting chance. “We hope that as research progresses, there will be better treatments for TOFS young and old, more awareness, and prenatal diagnosis of this condition.”Speaking about taking on the London Marathon, Sam said he’s both nervous and excited despite not running that distance before. He said:
“I’m nervous about running the marathon, but it’s an excited nervous because I’ve not run further than half a marathon but I know mentally I can do it.”To support Sam’s fundraising campaign, find his JustGiving page here. Read more local stories from Your Harrogate here.
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