A WOMAN who contracted gestational diabetes during pregnancy has raised more than £1,000 for the Fred Holland Centre at Kidderminster Hospital, which supported her when she needed it most.

Becky Concannon ran 13.1 miles in the Coventry Half Marathon in aid of the centre, and raised a total of £1,100 in sponsors.

She said: “Running the marathon was just a truly amazing experience knowing I had trained well and had a good running partner who coached me beforehand and also ran with me on the day.

“I burst into tears at the end, seeing my husband, daughters and parents, knowing I had done myself proud to have finished in two hours and 22 minutes.

“I wanted to raise money for the centre following contracting gestational diabetes while pregnant with my two daughters. The support and guidance from the nurses and consultants at Kidderminster was faultless and seeing how many people care for you, you could see there is not enough hours in the day for them.

“Following advice that if I changed my lifestyle and lost weight I would significantly reduce the risk of type two diabetes from being with me good as you see gestational diabetes leaves your system once your baby has been born.

“Meeting Fred Holland is an absolute honour, the passion he has and he is the kindest gentleman I have ever met. He could not thank me enough, but the reality was, I could not thank him enough.

“His years of campaigning and fundraising to help with the running of the Fred Holland Centre, if the centre was not there when I needed it I would not have had the care I received and who knows where I would have had to travel to get treatment.”

Fred Holland said: “It was really nice to meet Becky. She is an absolute inspiration to us all.

“I am extremely proud of her and the money she has raised for the centre.”