Karen on the run to help Molly's dream come true

Buy photos » Karen Lacey and Amanda Francis (centre) from Brompton House with residents Marjorie Beatson-Hurd and Canon Bobby Miles and three-year-old Molly Grove. (s)

A KEEP fit enthusiast will be doing her bit to help a Broadway youngster walk for the very first time by competing in one of Britain's biggest running events.

Karen Lacey, who works in the village's Brompton House care home will be running for Team BUPA when she races in The Great North Run on Sunday, September 16 to help three year-old Molly Grove receive life-changing treatment in America.

The big day will see Karen running a total distance of more than 13 miles in the event which starts in Newcastle and takes a picturesque journey throughout until until a coastal finish in the South Shields.

Since Molly's family's appeal back in June, more than £60,000 has been raised in a number of public fund-raising events surpassing their target of £55,000 needed to pay for an operation and physiotherapy that will change her life forever

The youngster has a type of Cerebral Palsy which causes her to have stiffness and pain in her legs making it impossible for her to run around with her two older brothers and friends at her Station Road home.

Once the fund-raising campaign is complete Molly can go to St Louis Hospital in Missouri to have the surgery which involves cutting some of the sensory nerve fibres that come from the muscles and enter the spinal cord.

Karen told the Observer she was excited to be running for such a great cause."I just thought this would be a really good thing to do," she said.

"Molly and her family live down the road from me and it would be great to raise even more for her so she can get the treatment she needs.

"Its hard to see her struggling and I would love to help make a difference. There has been such great response already and hopefully the more money raised the better difference it will make.

"I did the London Marathon last year which left me physically drained and I've heard this will be even tougher and demanding as its not a flat surface race. I think I'll have my work cut out but I'm really looking forward to it."

Anyone interested in supporting the Molly’s Wish to Walk Appeal can contact Caudwell Children on 01782 600867, donate online at www.justgiving.com/mollysmission2walk or text MOLL55 £(amount) to 70070.

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