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THE CHILDREN'S Hospital has called on the people of Oxfordshire to lace up their running shoes to reach the 'magic million pound mark' for the county's most poorly youngsters.

The 15th annual Oxford Mail OX5 Run will take place in March next year and £150,000 is needed to hit £1m for the Children's Hospital since we launched the run in 2003.

Registration is now open and the hospital's charity urged runners, joggers and walkers to take on the five-mile route around Blenheim Palace to help make life more enjoyable for the young patients at the hospital.

Money raised by the 1,160 who completed this year's race - a record-breaking £115,000 - has already been spent on a sensory room to distract and entertain children in its high dependency unit, equipment to stabilise premature babies and a specialist nurse for children with severe asthma.

The hospital will also be celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2017 with a campaign aimed at raising £2m - funds from the OX5 will be fed into this to provide better parental accommodation, equipment, toys and games.

Oxford Mail:

The hospital charity's chief executive Douglas Graham, who took up the role earlier this year, said: "We all know someone who has spent time in the Oxford Children’s Hospital – whether your own child, grandchild, niece or nephew – or a child at school or in your local area. 

"This run is your chance to make a difference for them and all those who will follow. 

"It’s going to be a really special year in 2017 as we celebrate ten years of the hospital and launch a big new fundraising campaign. 

"So if you’ve ever heard about it, read about it, or sponsored someone who has taken part - but not quite got round to signing up yourself – this is your year."

He added: "There is a good chance that the event will hit the magic £1 million mark – which would be such an achievement."

Over the years £850,000 raised by the generosity of fundraisers across the county has been spent on specialist medical equipment, toys and games and also funding play specialists.

Sam Mortlock, a health play specialist at the hospital, said: "Everyday we see the difference that donations make within the hospital. 

"Poorly children still love to play and the toys, art and sensory equipment that the OX5 RUN funds brings so many smiles to our young patients."

The race is being sponsored by Oxford-based recruitment firm Allen Associates for the ninth year running.

Director Kate Allen said: "We are really keen to build on the phenomenal success we had last year and to make this even better to celebrate the 10th anniversary.

"Our aim in the weeks preceding the event is to galvanise support from the local business co munity to enter teams and raise money."

Scroll down to read the stories of some of the hospital's young patients and find out how you can get involved making sure they continue to get the very best care.

William Lofthouse

Oxford Mail:

THE LOFTHOUSE family from Faringdon have been staying at the hospital since June as ten-month-old William receives treatment for muscular dystrophy.

The cheeky chappy has been entertaining staff, nurses and his older sister on the ward ever since but he will be staying at the hospital for the foreseeable future.

But his mum Linzi, who has stayed at the parents facility Ronald McDonald House, said both her children loved the place.

The 30-year-old mother-of-two said: "The staff are brilliant, they are also great with my daughter Tia and always finding things for both of them to do. 

"William is always smiling and laughing, he's a cheeky boy and he knows exactly what he's doing.

"He uses a lot of toys that are around and gets on well with all the nurses. 

She added: "In fact I don't know what they will be when they get home without all the nurses to play with."

William, who was birthday is on New Year's Day, has muscular dystrophy - a condition which will progressively weakens his muscles as he gets older.

Miss Lofthouse, who ran the Great South Run for Muscular Dystrophy UK earlier this year, implored others to begin training and raise money.

She said: "I will probably be running and it's something everyone should think about doing.

"They are raising money for more parental accommodation and we have been staying on site at Ronald McDonald House and I don't know what I would have done without it.

"It's scary for the children but perhaps more so for the parents but they have put my mind at ease."

Blesson Parmar

Oxford Mail:

Nevis Parmar, from Headington, thought his eight-year-old son Blesson had just hurt his leg when he fell off a trampoline while playing with a friend in August this year.

When the New Marston Primary schoolboy didn't seem to be getting better, he had an X-Ray at the Children's Hospital which revealed he had bone cancer. 

Mr Parmar, who works for the NHS, said: "The support we have had from the hospital has been great, he misses going to school but he likes it here - it's a really great facility.

"I cried a lot when I found out it was cancer and he's having chemotherapy and it's very difficult - but I have a great faith in God that everything will be ok.

"He's very bright, he's in Year 4 but he's been doing Year 8 maths and he actually misses school but he has been using an iPad here."

Blesson's iPad - made available for all children on the ward - was paid for by donations and funds from the OX5 Run.

Mr Parmer urged people to sign up to the run and donate to the charity to keep making children in the hospital have as comfortable a stay as possible.

Francesca Barlow

Oxford Mail:

FRANCESCA Barlow had a spell at the Headington hospital ahead of a daunting operation to drain fluid from her ear.

But the five-year-old's dad Chris said she was unperturbed by the experience and enjoyed the hospital's toys and games which are bought using OX5 donations.

Mr Barlow, 42, said: "They have been absolutely fantastic and they have really made us feel at home.

"There's always someone around to help and they have so many games and other things for the children to do here. 

"You never know when you might rely on a facility like this and it's great that this sort of place is here."

The property manager, from Middleton Cheney, added: "I'm fully behind any fundraising drives for the Children's Hospital, it's such an important place."