Sunderland mum takes on Great North Run challenge in memory of son Taylor who tragically died at 11 months old

Taylor was born a happy and healthy boy in November 2013 but he began picking up colds and infections with regularity.

After noticing unexplained bruises on his stomach, Louise became concerned and took Taylor to A&E at Sunderland Royal Hospital where he underwent tests, including for leukaemia, before being transferred to the Royal Victoria Infirmary’s (RVI) children’s ward in Newcastle.

Taylor was diagnosed with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, which meant that he didn’t have a working immune system, making him highly susceptible to infections and posing a serious threat to his life.

His only chance was a bone marrow transplant, but before doing so he needed to undergo a gruelling round of chemotherapy. While the transplant was successful, the chemotherapy caused the then six-month-old to suffer kidney failure which resulted in Taylor needing to be on a ventilator and dialysis machine.

During this period and the following months of treatment, Louise was able to be at Taylor’s side thanks to staying in Crawford House, a ‘Home from Home’ accommodation located alongside the hospital which is run by the charity The Sick Children’s Trust.

Eventually Taylor was able to return home but after just a week he picked up another group of illnesses which led to the development of bronchiolitis obliterans, a condition which damages the lungs and reduces the body’s ability to create oxygen.

Tragically it was too much for his little body and Taylor passed away in October 2014.

As Louise,37, runs the 13.1 mile route, her little boy will be at the forefront of her mind, along with the charity which enabled her to be at his bedside.

Louise, who also works for the Samaritans and is mum to daughters Nia and Cadi Clark, said: “When I went to Crawford House I got the first proper night’s sleep I’d had in seven weeks. There was phone in the room which linked directly to the ward so if there was any change the staff could let me know immediately. That helped me to relax a little bit in the evenings.

“Taylor’s condition was always changing so it was a big comfort to know I was close to him. There’s no way I could have travelled from Sunderland every day and my only option would have been to sleep in the car. The Sick Children’s Trust gave me a quiet place to process everything that was going on.

“I wanted to do something to challenge myself and raise money for this brilliant charity and the GNR is a great way for me to do both.”

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Since being founded in 1982, The Sick Children’s Trust has supported over 73,000 families to stay close to their seriously ill child’s hospital bedside.

Community Fundraising Manager, Elisa Coppello-Dowd, said: “We’re so incredibly sorry for Louise’s loss but we’re glad we could keep her together with Taylor so she could always be by his side throughout his treatment.

“We can’t thank Louise enough for taking on the GNR to support us.”

You can donate to Louise’s cause via the GNR website.