Leighton Buzzard dad running London Marathon in honour of daughter's battle with Crohn's Disease
A Leighton Buzzard father will run the London Marathon in honour of his daughter's brave battle with an incurable bowel disease.
Erman Housein, 44, will hit the capital's streets on Sunday (April 27) to raise funds for Crohn's & Colitis UK – a charity that supports around 200,000 people in the UK living with Crohn’s Disease.
Erman's daughter Willow was just four when doctors discovered that the disease was behind her "painful and debilitating" symptoms – and the family hopes that one day there will be a cure.
Erman said: “I want to give my finisher’s medal to Willow, who deserves it for all of the bravery that she has shown over the past four years since her diagnosis.
"There is a mental impact of having to attend multiple hospital appointments for tests and treatments, alongside missing school or other social engagements.”
Erman is a passionate supporter of Crohn’s & Colitis UK and is particularly interested in the charity’s commitment to funding research, which will help understand the conditions.
There is no known cure for Crohn's Disease – but there are lots of treatments available.
Claire Walsh, director of income generation and marketing at Crohn’s & Colitis UK said: “We’ve got 140 fundraisers running in the London Marathon this year and we are so grateful to them for getting out there and letting people know about Crohn’s & Colitis UK
"We simply couldn’t do the work we do without the efforts of people like Erman - and we’re looking forward to cheering on our runners on Sunday.”
Click here to find out more about Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.