Aaron Girling, 38, will run London Marathon this October on behalf of Make-A-Wish® UK, the charity that gave his family “memories to cherish forever” with a Disneyland Paris trip when his 7-year-old daughter was given a bleak diagnosis.
“We knew there was something wrong when my wife, Johanna, was pregnant with Gracie,” remembers Aaron. “We knew it was a cardiac issue.”
Arnold residents Aaron and Johanna, 37, were told that Gracie would be born with a rare life-limiting congenital heart condition (dextrocardia hypoplastic right ventricle), which meant the right side of her heart was underdeveloped. She had had her first surgery at just one-week-old.
“The first few weeks of her life were an emotional whirlwind,” said Johanna. “We spent 8 weeks in hospital. We then learned that she has Di George Syndrome, a rare condition which has meant her insides are jumbled and not always where they should be. Her heart is back to front and upside down; her stomach is on the wrong side; her kidneys are affected, and she doesn’t have a thymus gland.”
Shortly after her first surgery Gracie developed respiratory issues requiring a tracheostomy and ventilation, as well as a further 7 months in hospital. Johanna, who previously worked at E-on, left her job to take care of Gracie full time.
“I was working 60, 70 hours weeks to make sure we had enough money coming in,” said Aaron, who works in the automotive industry as a leasing consultant.
In 2018, 6-year-old Gracie endured another three cardiac surgeries, and her parents were advised to prepare for the worst. Gracie’s community nurse then referred the family to Make-A-Wish UK.
Johanna said: “Make-A-Wish came and spent an afternoon in the garden with Gracie and her brothers, Arthur and Joseph. It was brilliant – they really made sure that the wish was what Gracie wanted, but that it would be an amazing experience for the rest of us, too.”
Make-A-Wish UK granted Gracie and her family’s wish to go to Disneyland Paris in November 2018.
“It was just magical,” said Aaron. “We had never been out of the country before with the children – it’s difficult to travel with Gracie’s oxygen requirements. The kids were so excited, they couldn’t stop screaming with happiness when we got to the park. Make-A-Wish were amazing, making sure Gracie could meet all the characters she wanted to meet and getting us to the front of every queue. We still talk about it now and still look at the photos and videos all the time. It’s a memory that we’ll all cherish forever. It meant the world.”
Fortunately Gracie defied her bleak prognosis and is now a happy 10-year-old girl who loves to play piano, draw, and cook. “She’s in a real sushi phase at the moment!” laughs Johanna.
To give back to the charity that made Gracie’s wish come true, Aaron has committed to raising at least £2500 for Make-A-Wish UK by running the TCS London Marathon (2 October 2022).
“With everything that’s happened during the pandemic, you hear a lot about how companies have suffered – and charities have suffered too,” said Aaron. “Signing up to run the London Marathon for Make-A-Wish UK means that I can play a part in ensuring other families and kids can make amazing memories, like we did.”
Alison Doidge, Challenge Events Manager at Make-A-Wish UK, said: “Right now, more than 60,000 children in the UK are living with a critical condition. It takes an army of volunteers, supporters and donors like Aaron to grant life-changing wishes and revive a childhood stolen by critical illness. We know that fundraising can be daunting at the moment, but our friendly and welcoming team will do all we can to help supporters hit their targets. With over 650 challenge event spots available across the UK, now is the time to join our army and make wishes come true for children like Gracie.”
Now self-employed, Aaron is able to spend more time training for the marathon – and of course, spending more time with Gracie, Arthur and Joe. “I wasn’t around much in those early days. Going freelance before the pandemic wasn’t always easy, but it’s meant I can now take the kids to school, be around for dinner, help Gracie with her cooking. I don’t regret it at all. You can’t put a price on time spent together.”
Sign up to support Make-A-Wish UK and light up the darkness for children like Gracie at https://www.make-a-wish.org.uk/get-involved/join-our-army/.