A GROUP of friends, who have already collected more than £12,000, are taking on the adidas Fulham 10km run to raise funds for The Sick Children’s Trust,

It’s in memory of three-year-old Sophie Pokorny, who died in the summer.

Run For Sophie are a group with more than 30 members, 16 of whom are training hard for the race. They include Sophie’s uncle, Hugo Clarke, along with his childhood friends, Marc Emmanuel and Gurmeet Sahni.

They want to thank The Sick Children’s Trust for providing Hugo’s sister, Abbie, from Ealing, and her husband, Karl, with free home from home accommodation while their daughter waited for a heart transplant at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Earlier this year, Sophie collapsed suddenly without warning. She had developed coronary heart disease, a condition almost unheard of in children.

She was taken to Ealing Hospital before being transferred to the Royal Brompton and then on to GOSH, where she fell into a coma and was put on a life-support machine.

Her name went on the transplant list, but she didn’t live long enough to receive a new heart and  died 12 days later.

The temporary accommodation gave Sophie’s parents a place to stay for 12 days while she waited for a new heart. They were never more than a few minutes from Sophie’s bedside. 

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Hugo and wife, Kirsty raised more than £3,500 from donations made at their wedding.

He said: “Sophie was a beautiful little girl who is missed terribly. Her death has been devastating for so many people. Hence why ‘Run for Sophie’ has so many members.

Sophie’s mum, Abbie, who will be cheering the runners with son William, says: “We have received so much support from our local community. It has been overwhelming, but an incredible tribute to our beautiful daughter, who was taken from us too soon.

“However, out of such a tragic situation, some good did come. Sophie was able to donate her kidneys after she died and we now know she saved the lives of two grown men.

“The last two weeks of Sophie’s life were incredibly hard and we really believed she might be one of the lucky ones and receive a new heart in time.

“We were there every day and every night, living just minutes from where Sophie was being treated. We didn’t have to worry about her ever being alone because The Sick Children’s Trust was there for us. We can’t thank the charity enough.”

To make a donation in Sophie’s memory, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/marc-emmanuel