Family of ill nine-year-old boy raise £1,275 for Alexander Devine

The mother of a seriously ill boy has helped raise £1,275 for Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service after completing a 5k run.

Karen Leister, whose nine-year-old son Tyler is cared for by the charity due to a rare life-limiting epilepsy condition, dressed up in neon colours alongside hundreds of other runners for Glow in the Park at Dorney Lake on Saturday, April 25.

Karen, of Whitley, a suburb of Reading, was one of seven runners in Team Tyler, who took part. Others included Tyler’s father, Daniel Lucas and aunt, Sarah Giles.

Their fundraising target stood at £350 but collectively the group have raised more than treble this for the charity, which provides respite, palliative & end-of-life care for children and is planning to build a children's hospice in Woodlands Park, Maidenhead.

“It was more of a pleasure than a task,” said Karen.

“It is the least I could do for them because they help out so much and make Tyler so happy.

“Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service does so much for my little boy – not just the magical Christmas party each year where we make so many memories but Alexander’s nurse Sam and Alexander’s carer Sarah do the most amazing job with Tyler.

“I just want to say thank you for everything they have done.”

The day also marked Karen’s 32nd birthday, and she said it was a ‘perfect’ way to celebrate it.

“It was really fun more than anything actually because the atmosphere was brilliant,” she said.

“I got to spend the day with Tyler and then we did the run and everyone came back to ours and had cake.”