A Wolverhampton councillor and his wife have handed over a cheque for over £8,000 to the hospital which saved their baby son's life after completing 2 charity fundraisers.

Type=image;ImageID=13436;ImageClass=left;ImageTitle=Raised £8,235.89 for the Cardiac Unit at Birmingham Children's Hospital;TitleClass=strong;

Type=image;ImageID=13437;ImageClass=left;ImageTitle=All took part in the fundraising efforts;TitleClass=strong;

Bushbury North Councillor Ian Angus completed the Stafford Half Marathon in March, while his wife Sandi tackled her first ever 10km run in Birmingham a month later.

And in doing so they have raised vital funds for the Cardiac Unit at Birmingham Children's Hospital, which performed lifesaving open heart surgery on their son Joshua when he was barely 10 weeks old.

The pair presented a cheque for £8,235.89 to the hospital last month and Councillor Angus said: "We'd like to thank everyone who contributed to our fundraising efforts for Birmingham Children's Hospital - it's a very special place which saved our little boy's life.

"The fundraising total far exceeded our expectations and we've been truly overwhelmed by people's kindness and generosity."

When Joshua was just four days old, Ian and Sandi were given the devastating news that he had a life threating congenital heart defect that would require open heart surgery to fix.

Just 10 weeks old, he underwent a successful 5 hour procedure at Birmingham Children's Hospital.

Councillor Angus said: "It was the toughest day of our lives but the care he received was exceptional and we now have a beautiful, bonny, healthy little boy who has every chance - if I get my way - of playing for Wolves in the Premiership one day."

Sandi said: "We are so fortunate to have this wonderful, world-class health service on our doorstep. We wanted to give something back and have been fundraising throughout the year for the Cardiac Unit."

Their fundraising efforts were supported by Councillor Angus' brother Jamie and colleagues from the City of Wolverhampton Council who also took part in the Stafford Half Marathon, including Head of Planning Stephen Alexander, Voluntary Sector Coordinator Martha Cummings, Head of the Healthier Place service Richard Welch and Councillor Paul Sweet, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing.

  • released: Tuesday 1 August, 2017