Marston Green mum supports a charity close to her heart

RUNNING PARTNERS: Katerina Pegg, with her
daughter Daisy and mum Susan.

A MARSTON Green mum – whose little girl has been diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder – recently ran a half-marathon in aid of the charity which has given her so much support.
Katerina Pegg, aged 29, was devastated to be told that her baby daughter Daisy had alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency – a condition which affects sufferers’ liver and lungs.
Daisy had been diagnosed when she was just a few weeks old after the family noticed that she was suffering from jaundice and was failing to gain weight.
A series of tests confirmed that the youngster had the condition – which is thought to affect just one in every 1,500 people.
Katerina, who works as a nurse, was put in touch with the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation (CLDF), who were able to offer much-needed advice.
“Alpha-1 is rare... I had never heard of it, so we were so grateful to CLDF who were there with vital information which explained everything clearly to us and emotional support for us when we needed it most,” she said.
“Daisy responded to treatment and is currently doing well but her condition is a lifelong one and we want to ensure that CLDF will be there for her as she grows up.”
Katerina and her mum Susan decided to pull on their running shoes and tackle the Great Birmingham Run last month, hoping to raise £200.
Alison Taylor, the CLDF’s chief executive, said the organisation relied entirely on donations and the charity was “very grateful” that two generations of the same family had decided to take up the challenge.
The fundraising page can be found here.