A DOCTOR from Malvern is running this year’s London Marathon to say thank you to the medics who performed life-saving open heart surgery on her baby son.

GP Alison Findlay is tackling the famous 26-mile course to raise money for Birmingham Children’s Hospital, where her son William, who was born with a congenital heart defect, underwent the delicate operation when he was six months old.

William is now two and in good health. Although he is likely to require more surgery later in life, Dr Findlay, age 41, hopes this will not be for many years to come.

Dr Findlay said the chilling scenes at the Boston Marathon on Monday had not discouraged her from running.

“I’m glad it’s going ahead, but it is pretty scary to think people could do something like that,” she said. “I think it needs to go ahead to show we won’t be put off by such acts.”

She is hoping her marathon effort will raise £500 for the hospital and a further £500 for the Ronald McDonald House charity, which provided her and husband Chris with onsite accommodation during William’s operation and recovery.

“The hospital was great and William is now fantastic and full of life just like any other little boy,” she said. “I wanted to do something to show my appreciation to the staff there and also Ronald McDonald House, which really was a godsend to us.” Dr Findlay has never attempted the full distance.

She said: “I will get there though and having these causes to support is a real inspiration.”

Meanwhile, another Malvern Joggers member Arthur Lockyear said the events of Monday had made him even more determined to compete the marathon.

Mr Lockyear is running for Breast Cancer Care after his mother was diagnosed before he was born.

The 35-year-old said: “I am not put off. I am a great believer in what will be, will be.”

His mum had been told she would be unable to conceive after successfully having treatment for the condition but soon after was happy to discover she was pregnant with Arthur.

He hopes to raise £1,000.

Malvern Joggers club members Carolyne Saunders, Tony Bennett, Steve Roode, Andy Banham, Gillian McCann and Stuart Brown will also be taking part.

One woman, Mo Cossali-Francis, is taking a unique approach to showing her support for the people affected by the Boston bombings and those running on the streets of London after her children said they did not want her to travel to the capital.

She said would “run, crawl or walk” her way around 26.2 miles from the Three Counties Showground crossroads with a few of her friends to show solidarity with the people of both cities.