WHEN tragedy struck Susie Hawkins she had her whole family behind her.

Doctors told the 35-year-old, of Thornaby Drive, Clayton, and her partner David Wring, 33, before their baby boy Thomas was born earlier this year that he had Edwards Syndrome and that if he lived he would need palliative care.

Edwards Syndrome is a serious genetic chromosome condition that disrupts the baby's normal development and in many cases causes them to be miscarried or stillborn.

Babies with it will have grown slowly in the womb and will have a low birth weight, along with a number of other serious medical problems. Of those that survive to birth, about half will die within two weeks and only around one in every five will live at least three months

Despite the devastating news the couple went through with the rest of the pregnancy and Thomas was still born but thanks to the Forget Me Not hospice in Huddersfield they were able to spend a precious week with him at a special suite there before having to say their final farewells.

Now Miss Hawkin's father Barry Hawkins, 65, of Heaton, her 15-year-old daughter Cathrine, sisters Rosemarie, Rebecca and Elizabeth and Mr Wring's sister Donna Wring and her five-year-old daughter Lillie Skinner-Wring are all taking part in the Forget Me Not Hospice's Colour Run on Saturday as a thank you for the care given to their family.

Anyone who wants to make a donation should go to the hospice website at forgetmenotchild.co.uk or call 01484 411040.