Bradford grandad's charity trek for Amos (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Bradford grandad's charity trek for Amos

11:10am Thursday 12th July 2012 in News

A grandad is making big strides to raise funds for the hospital and charity that helped save his grandson’s life.

The 52-year-old community worker from Thorpe Edge, who changed his name to Muppet, sets off on Thursday, July 19, to hike 200 miles for the love of little Amos Harker, who lives with his parents in Ilkley.

When Amos was born, doctors discovered he had Biliary Atresia, a rare condition in newborn babies where the common bile duct between the liver and small intestine becomes blocked.

He was just nine-weeks-old when he needed a seven-hour life-saving operation.

Only around 50 new cases are diagnosed in the UK each year and the cause is unknown. If unrecognised, it leads to fatal liver damage.

It is likely that Amos will need a full liver transplant in the next few years, but for the time being doctors at Leeds General Infirmary are happy with the tot’s progress Plans for Muppet’s walk are well under way and will see him walk The Dales Way in reverse, from Bowness back along the Dales Way to Ilkley then along the Ebor Way to Whitby, totalling 200 miles.

With just a tent to sleep in and a radio to listen to the Test cricket, he will be walking between 20 and 27 miles a day to complete the hike in ten days.

“It sounds a lot, but if I set off at breakfast time I’ll be finished for tea,” he said.

Amos’s battle inspired Muppet, who works for CNet in Bradford, to walk 165 miles of The Dales Way last year.

The funds raised will be split between Ward 12 at the LGI and the Children’s Liver Foundation.

To donate money, go to amosfundraiser.co.uk for details or e-mail muppett@cnet.org.uk