Six-year-old boy raises cash for hospital to thank neonatal staff for brother’s care

A six-year-old boy raised money for West Suffolk Hospital to say thank you for the care his younger brother received from staff.

Mason Martindale, who lives in Melford Court, Thetford, took part in a 2km run for the My WiSH Charity, which supports the neonatal unit at the Bury St Edmunds hospital.

Mason, who attends Norwich Road Academy in Thetford, raised £38 after finishing the fun run at Rollesby, near Great Yarmouth, in May.

Mason's three-year-old brother Lucas was a breach birth so mum Vanessa, who works as a teaching assistant at her son's school, had to have a caesarean section to enable him to be born.

She said: "He turned blue and had to be rushed off to the unit and had lots of blood tests and he had fluid on his chest.

"But Mason wanted to do the run to raise the money for the unit and we managed to get friends and family to sponsor him.

"He now wants to do some more races to raise some more funds and next year hopes to run at Banham Zoo as he also wants to be a zookeeper."

Mason said: "The run was tricky but I didn't fail and friends, family and teachers at the school helped me to raise the money."

Sally Daniels, My WiSH Charity's appeal manager, said: "It was a pleasure to meet Mason and his family and such a lovely thing to do.

"The staff on the neonatal unit love to see their little babies return for a visit and this donation will make a big difference to so many people. We can't thank Mason enough for supporting us."