Sheffield schoolgirl, 10, smashes fundraising target with Christmas Eve run for Sheffield Children’s Hospital

Last week, we reported on 10-year-old Martha Mackenzie’s fundraising mission to raise money for Sheffield Children’s Hospital’s diabetes unit. 

The young girl, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes last year, wanted to run three miles with a target of raising only £100. 

But the Year 6 pupil at Nook Lane Junior School was amazed to see the donations roll in for her cause. At the time of writing, her GoFundMe page says she has raised an outstanding £1,900. 

On the morning of Sunday December 24, Martha set off on her run from her home in Stannington to children’s hospital with her parents, Alex and Laura, her older brother Finlay, and her auntie and godfather. Close to five miles later, they made it to the finish line, where her grandad and four-year-old brother Reid waited.

Dad Alex, a personal trainer at Paul Powers Martial Arts, called Martha his “little superstar”.

He said she was understandably tired after, “but she loved it, and is so proud that she’s managed to do it”.

The money raised will go towards the children's hospital's annual residential trip to Edale for children with diabetes - a trip that Martha has enjoyed twice.

Since Martha received her ‘life-changing’ diagnosis, she has to rigorously check her blood’s sugar levels and inject insulin to give her body the energy she needs each day. 

Speaking to the Star previously, Alex said: “She’s doing really well. It is life changing, but it's not going to stop her from doing anything."