Blackpool dad to walk 47 miles to Manchester to raise Christmas funds for mum with leukaemia

Carrie Dodds-Hallan, 41, also from Bispham, was devastated after being diagnosed with acute Myeloid Leukaemia in June – as she was expecting her sixth child.

Doctors told her on June 26 that she may not survive 24 hours, as her condition was so serious.

However, she was determined to fight for her baby - and little Poppy was born on October 3, weighing just 3Ib 12 oz.

Four days later, Carrie married her partner, Shaun Hallan.

Now Carrie is coming to the end of her latest gruelling chemotherapy course at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, with further treatment needed at Manchester Infirmary.

Her brave health battle has meant blown apart the family’s Christmas plans and their funds – so Ben Gayton, an old family friend, is trying to raise as much money as possible for presents and give the family some well-needed festive cheer.

To do that, he has set himself the mighty challenge of walking 47.4 miles from Blackpool Victoria Hospital to Manchester Infirmary, beginning at 6pm on December 10 and walking overnight, taking only the occasional break.

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Landscape gardener Ben, 35, of Pinewood Avenue, has set up a GoFundMe page and says he has already had “fantastic” support for the campaign.

He said: “I was having a drink on bonfire night, scrawling through Facebook, when I read something about Carrie miraculously staying alive long enough to have a baby and that she had leukaemia and was trying to fight it.

"I couldn’t believe it, I was so shocked because I’ve known her all my life and here she was struggling with this terrible illness and the family having nothing for Christmas.

"I felt I had to do something.

"I hope this can give them something to help with their Christmas.

"I’ve been training eight or nine hours a day, getting into shape, and now I’m actually looking forward to it.

"The support I have received has been fantastic – people have helped in all sorts of ways and been really generous – I just want to thank them all.

"If anyone wants to donate, it could be as little as a pound or fifty pence, it all helps.”

Bens own wife Katie, 33, has had her own health problems, despite being pregnant herself.

The couple already have an eight-month old son, Rico an he said: “My family mean so much to me so it made me all the more determined to help Carrie and her family.”

Carrie said of Ben’s efforts: “What he is doing for us is absolutely amazing, I’ve known Ben since he was in nappies.

"His walk to Manchester is the sort of crazy thing he does – and when he says he’ll do it, he means it.

"Poppy is eight weeks old now. She was poorly at at the beginning, really tiny, but she’s doing well now. She’s my little milk tank!

"The chemotherapy has been tough, to be honest.

"With the first round of treatment I was pregnant with Poppy so it was only mild.

"But this latest course has been rough – I felt like I was going to die!

"I’m hoping to come out of Blackpool Vic on Friday and I’ll be with the family over Christmas. I’ve no immune system left at the moment, so we’ll have to be in our own little bubble. It will mean so much to be with them at Christmas,

"Then after the New Year, I’ll be going to Manchester Infirmary for one more round of chemo and then a bone marrow transplant.

"Without that transplant I will die, but we’ve got a donor and I’m just going to fight it all the way.

"I’d like to thank Ben and everyone for their amazing help.”

The family consists of Carrie and Shaun and children Connor (22), Charmaine (20), Morgan (17), Paige (15), Maya (two) and little Poppy.

Ben has so far raised an impressive £2,732 raised of his £3,500 goal and is being supported by a number of sponsor who are helping with transport back-up and other support.

They are David Hall, Nathan Floyd, Wayne Waring, Wayne Logan, Rob Schofield, Dan Thornber, Liam King, Mal Boyd and Colin Siderson.

To help the campaign visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/have-the-best-christmas-with-husband-and-childen