22 September 2026
Running for Lars: Every difficult mile will be worth it
When your child is seriously ill, you never forget the people who looked after them. For Steve, one of our fundraisers, that place is G4 at University Hospital Southampton. G4 is a specialist children’s ward caring for patients from birth to 18 years old.
Steve is dad to Lars and on 4 October 2026, he’ll be taking on the half marathon at the RunThrough 10K & Half Marathon in Southampton. He isn’t doing it to tick something off a bucket list. He’s doing it for his son.
Diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure at just one week old
Not long after Lars was born, he was diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure, and family life at home was suddenly replaced by hospital life. After spending his first few months in hospital, Lars started peritoneal dialysis at around four months old, which the family continued at home for 12 hours a night, five nights a week.
In June 2023, Lars received a kidney transplant at Evelina London, and thankfully it was incredibly successful. Today he’s a happy, energetic five-year-old boy.
Steve’s admiration for G4 is clear. “Throughout everything, the team at G4 in Southampton have been there for Lars and for us as a family,” he said. “They’ve watched him grow from a very poorly baby into the little boy he is today, so G4 will always hold a very special place in our hearts.”
Why Southampton Hospitals Charity?
When Steve explains why he’s running for Southampton Hospitals Charity, the answer is simple – to give back to the people who have done so much for his son and his family.
“Taking on the RunThrough Half Marathon felt like a great way to challenge myself while raising money for a cause that genuinely means something to me,” he said. “Every mile I run will be for Lars, and for all the other children and families who rely on G4.”
He adds that if the money he raises can make things even slightly easier for another child or family going through what they went through, then every bit of training and every mile will be worth it.
A special thank you to G4
“A massive thank you has to go to everyone on G4 who has cared for Lars and supported our family over the years,” Steve said. “I’d especially like to give a special shoutout to Lars’ nephrologists and the renal nurse specialists. They have been such a huge part of his journey, from when he was an incredibly poorly baby through dialysis, his transplant, and all the follow-up care he still receives today.”
You can support Steve and his fundraising challenge here.
Thinking of running yourself?
Follow Steve’s example. Run to give back to University Hospital Southampton and help us support staff and patients. You can run the 10K too, so if a half marathon feels like too much, you can still go the distance and make a big difference.