A RUNNER will be pounding the pavements to raise money for a baby charity in memory of her daughter who died at just six weeks old.

Helen Oberholzer will be taking on the London Marathon on April 28 to help raise cash for the charity Bliss.

A keen runner, Helen has wanted to take on the 26-mile race for a number of years and was finally awarded a place for 2019.

Helen, who lives in Colchester, and her husband, Bart, lost their daughter Jessica in 2004 after she was born three months early.

Now Helen will run for neonatal charity Bliss which supports thousands of babies and their parents every year.

Helen, who works for building merchants Scott Parnell in Witham, said: “Jessica was cared for by the neonatal unit at Cardiff Hospital.

“We will forever be grateful for everything the staff did for Jessica during her short life – the support they gave us was invaluable.

“There are more than 100,000 babies born needing neonatal care every year.

“The amazing work BLISS is doing to support neonatal units, and parents like us, across the country is so important.

“This is the reason I am raising funds for the charity in memory of Jessica.”

So far Helen has already raised £1,883 for the charity.

Bliss was founded in 1979 by a group of concerned parents who discovered that no hospital had all the equipment nor the trained staff it needed to safely care for premature and sick babies.

Rachael Adamson, who works alongside Helen, said: “Everyone at Scott Parnell is rooting for Helen.

“She is a really determined person and extremely dedicated to her training.

“She has been waiting a long time for the opportunity to run in the London Marathon and I’m so happy she is finally getting the chance to take part.”

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Helen-Oberholzer1.