'I want people waiting for a transplant to know there's hope' - mum in 200-mile run

Louise Prashad is runnning A Decade of Second Chances (Image: Supplied)

AN inspirational athlete, who lost her twins to stillbirth,is preparing to run 200 miles across England.

Team GB athlete Louise Prashad, 32, who lives with her husband, Max, 37, in Easingwold, last year claimed three silver medals in shot put, discus, and long jump at her debut World Transplant Games in Dresden, Germany.

Ten years ago she collapsed, and was rushed to hospital. Unfortunately, Louise and Max would be told the devastating news that their twin babies, a son and a daughter, Leo and Mia, no longer had a heartbeat.

Louise had eight hours to live and only a ten per cent chance of survival. She developed acute fatty liver of pregnancy. Mia and Leo did not survive and Louise fell into a coma, a stranger’s decision to donate a liver saved her life.

Now she is marking the 10th anniversary of her life-saving liver transplant with the challenge, which she has named 'A Decade of Second Chances.'

Louise Prashad is runnning A Decade of Second Chances

(Image: Supplied)

Donate to the cause....

To follow her journey or donate, visit https://givestar.io/gs/a-decade-of-second-chances

Her route will take her from Alexandra Stadium in Birmingham over seven days before ending in Bideford, Devon, the hometown of the family of Sarah – the woman whose organ donation gave Louise a second chance at life.

Mrs Prashad, who will hand out organ donation cards along the way to encourage the public to 'have the chat' about becoming a donor, said: "This isn't about how fast I can run.

"It's about celebrating ten years of life that I never expected to have.

"Every mile is for my twins, Mia and Leo, whose lives were heartbreakingly short.

"Every step is also for Sarah and her family.

"Because of one incredibly selfless decision, I've been able to watch my children grow up, represent Great Britain, and live a life I once thought had been taken away from me.

"If this challenge encourages even one family to have the conversation about organ donation, then every blister, every hill, and every difficult mile will have been worth it."

Mrs Prashad has completed more than 320 races, represented Great Britain at the World Transplant Games, raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity, and become a vocal advocate for organ donation.

Louise Prashad is remembering her donor, Sarah

(Image: Supplied)

Max, and their children Nico, five, and Ava, eight, will form her support crew, travelling alongside her in a campervan provided by ASICS.

Mrs Prashad said she hopes the run will not only raise funds for Leeds Hospitals Charity and NHS organ donation but also change perceptions about life after transplant.

Louise and Max Prashad

(Image: Supplied)

She said: "People often see transplant as the end of a story.

"For me, it was the beginning of a completely new chapter.

"I want people waiting for a transplant to know there is hope, and I want donor families to know that their loved one's legacy lives on every single day."

Mrs Prashad’s fundraiser will support transplant athletes and raise awareness of the importance of organ donation.

Louise and Max Prashad with children Ava nd Nico

(Image: Supplied)