Mum and daughter make the marathon a right Royal occasion

Most charities would consider themselves extremely fortunate to have Royalty running the London Marathon for them but that’s exactly what’s happening to the British Liver Trust! The Pearly Queen and Pearly Princess of Fulham will be running the marathon together in a bid to raise £2,000 for the charity which means a great deal to them.  

Pearly Queen, Gemma Blackie, discovered Children’s Liver Disease Foundation (CLDF) when her daughter, Daisy, now 24, was just 11 and had been diagnosed with auto-immune liver disease. “The charity provided a lifeline for us all as we came to terms with our new life with a child with a chronic condition,” says Gemma. “We received support through family days, camps, conferences and extensive research into childhood liver conditions. We continue to raise money for this wonderful charity so that other families, like our own, can benefit from all the amazing work they do and as London’s other royalty, running the Marathon in our pearls seemed a very fitting thing to do! 

Although Gemma ran the marathon for Children’s Liver Disease Foundation in 2014, it will be a first for Daisy: ‘I’ve never run before but remember supporting mum when she did her first marathon for CLDF and thinking I wanted to do that one day,” she explains. “As my condition is now stable and I am well, I want to show others with my condition that anything is possible. I do not let my condition define or limit me, I set and make my own decisions.” 

As befitting Royalty, Gemma and Daisy originally planned to run in their pearly costumes, but they were not exactly designed for running: “Hats flew off, buttons broke, and they were really heavy!” explains Gemma. “So, we’ve adapted and are running in altered pearly outfits.  Running around London while training has been such fun and an amazing experience, with people waving, stopping us to ask what we are doing, and generally smiling as we go.” 

With just a few weeks to go, both are very excited about the big day itself: “For us as a family this is not just about running,” says Gemma. “’When Daisy was first diagnosed, I never would have believed that she would have been well enough to run the marathon with me years later. We’ll also be remembering Daisy’s dear friend, Lucia, whom she met through CLDF. It’s been a very emotional journey for us all and I imagine lots of tears when we hopefully cross the finish line.” 

“Many people don’t realise that liver disease is something which affects babies and children,” says Michelle Wilkins, Head of Children’s and Families Services at CLDF, which has now merged with the British Liver Trust to bring children’s and adult liver support services together. “But every year in the UK, around 400 children are diagnosed with a condition for which there is still no cure. A diagnosis means a lifetime of medical care and the effect on families is devastating.  

“We provide those young people and their families with information, emotional support and a united voice. So, it’s wonderful to see not only that Daisy is well enough to run the marathon with her mum but that they want to support other young people with liver disease. It’s a wonderful thing to do and we’ll be there on the day, cheering them on!”   

 You can support Gemma and Daisy’s marathon challenge at   Daisy and Gemma is fundraising for British Liver Trust.