A York woman who survived one of the rarest pregnancy complications is preparing to run 200 miles across England to mark ten years since a liver transplant that saved her life.
Louise Prashad will set off from Alexandra Stadium in Birmingham before running to Bideford, Devon, over seven days in a challenge she has called ‘A Decade of Second Chances’.
Along the way she will hand out organ donation cards, encouraging members of the public to have the conversation about organ donation.
It is the third major challenge she has taken on this year, following the London Marathon and the Race to the Stones 50km ultra marathon.
The route is deeply personal. It begins at the home of the 2027 British Transplant Games before finishing in Bideford, the hometown of the family of Sarah – the woman whose organ donation gave Louise a second chance at life. The last mile she will be joined by Sarah’s son, daughter and grandchildren.
The challenge is raising money for Leeds Hospitals Charity and Liver UK while promoting NHS Organ Donation, helping transplant recipients continue to experience the life-changing power of sport and highlighting the importance of organ donation.
In April 2016, Louise’s life changed forever. At 37 weeks pregnant with twins, Mia and Leo, she developed Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy (AFLP), a condition affecting around one in 20,000 pregnancies. Tragically, both babies died, and within hours Louise went into catastrophic liver failure.
She was placed into a coma and given little chance of survival before a donor liver became available. That extraordinary gift saved her life.
Over the past decade, Louise has refused to let tragedy define her.
She has completed more than 320 races, represented Great Britain at the World Transplant Games, raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity and become a passionate advocate for organ donation, receiving a commendation from the Lord Mayor of York and British Citizens Award at the Houses of Parliament earlier this year.
Now, as the tenth anniversary of her transplant approaches, she is taking on what she describes as her most meaningful challenge yet. Louise will be supported throughout the journey by her husband Max and their children, Ava (8) and Nico (5), who will follow the route in a campervan provided by ASICS.
“This isn’t about how fast I can run,” Louise said.
“It’s about celebrating ten years of life that I never expected to have. Every mile is for my twins, Mia and Leo, whose lives were heartbreakingly short.
“Every step is also for Sarah and her family. Because of one incredibly selfless decision, I’ve been able to watch my children grow up, represent Great Britain and live a life I once thought had been taken away from me.
“If this challenge encourages even one family to have the conversation about organ donation, then every blister, every hill and every difficult mile will have been worth it.”
Supporters will be able to follow Louise’s journey across the country and donate to her fundraiser, with every pound helping Leeds Hospitals Charity and supporting future transplant athletes.
People in North Yorkshire and across the rest of England and Wales got an emergency alert on their phones at 7pm this evening.
It was to warn of the wildfire risk.
The government said it would “warn people not to light anything that could spark a fire, including barbecues, campfires, and fireworks.
“Recipients will also be urged to report any fire immediately by calling 999.”
It will has been sent on a “rolling basis” across the areas of the UK most at risk.
Accompanied by a siren sound, it warns “even a small flame can rapidly develop into a major wildfire placing lives, homes, businesses and emergency responders at risk”.
