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Becky and Colin’s son Liam was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis aged just seven weeks in July 2010 and the Doyles set up Liam’s Smiles in 2014 to support of Meningitis Now to raise awareness of the meningitis and the support that Meningitis Now provides for families.
Born four weeks premature, Liam has suffered from fits and seizures all his life. He was diagnosed with epilepsy in July 2012, viral meningitis in December that year, ataxia (meaning he suffers from a constant body tremor) shortly afterwards and, most seriously, pneumococcal septicaemia, a deadly form of meningitis, in May 2014. Liam has battled bravely throughout his short life and always with a smile.
Becky, the driving force behind Liam’s Smiles, started running in late 2014.
“I’ve been training now for about 18 months. I wasn’t particularly training for a marathon but I am enjoying it, it’s a challenge,” said the mother of three. “I’m running on a broken heart so there’s a lot of determination. I don’t want another mother, father, grandparent to feel the way that I did that day I walked into the hospital holding my son, dying in my arms.”
The family’s connection to Birmingham City FC has been invaluable. After Becky spoke on stage at the annual Player of the Year awards in 2015 encouraging people to donate to Liam’s Smiles, current manager Gary Rowett offered his services.
“I said to Becky that I’d love to run the London Marathon and raise some money. I’m really pleased I can try and do my bit; it’s not just the money, it’s the raising awareness as well,” he said at BCFC’s training ground after announcing he will run as part of Team Liam’s Smiles. “The London Marathon has many great causes but this one is close to many of our hearts.”
Combining training for the 26.2 mile challenge with being a manager of a Championship football side has its unique challenges but, with a marathon already under his belt, Gary is feeling good.
“I’m a little bit ahead of the game,” said Rowett. “I did a 16-miler recently and I felt fine up until then but it’s been my experience that you always get one or two runs that you really don’t feel good in – the voice in your head says ‘what are you doing, stop and have a little walk’ but I carried on and got through it.”
The day job has meant it’s been tough for Gary to fit in as much training as he’d like, but with Liam as his motivation he is positive he will get round.
“I’ve got four young children as well which is one of the reasons why I wanted to help. I’m in the fortunate position that my kids are really healthy. But certainly it’s a challenge because the week of football training, being around the training ground, dealing with lots of things that a manager at Championship level has to deal with, there’s not an awful lot of time.”
“I’d like to break four hours. If I could get 3:45 that would be great, but at the moment I think my lack of volume would suggest that four hours would be a decent target.”
This year will see the millionth finisher in the history of the London Marathon and the million finishers since 1981 are being celebrated in the #oneinamillion campaign. Gary, along with Becky, and plan to become #oneinamillion when they cross the famous finish line on 24 April.
“It’s amazing. I always used to love watching the London Marathon; I loved watching the elites and the fun runners,” says Rowett. “I think it’s a great, fantastic event and to be part of that will be a really proud moment.”
For more information about Liam’s Smiles, please visit www.liamssmiles.co.uk, or to sponsor Gary and Becky, please visit https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/LiamsSmilesLovesBrum1
Source: Virgin Money London Marathon
