East Lothian man runs London Marathon for one-year-old son

Robbie Laidlaw, whose son Gray was born with a congenital heart defect, ran the gruelling 26-mile race in four hours, 37 minutes and 33 seconds – raising thousands of pounds for the British Heart Foundation in the process.

The 35-year-old has so far raised over £6,000 for the charity but will continue to fundraise to help fund vital research into congenital heart disease.

Originally from Gullane, Robbie Laidlaw now lives near London, and this year took part in the world-famous marathon to raise money for the British Heart Foundation | Submitted

Robbie said: “Our focus is on Gray, supporting his development and giving him everything he needs to enjoy a happy, fulfilling life. Running the London Marathon was our way of saying thank you to the incredible healthcare professionals who are caring for Gray and the many others in similar circumstances.”

Gray, who is just over a year old, was born with Down Syndrome and a partial atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) – a defect that happens when there are holes between the right and left chambers of the heart. The brave little boy is currently preparing for open heart surgery at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London.

Robbie’s London Marathon fundraising campaign was launched on World Down Syndrome Day (March 21) with the 35-year-old’s marathon aims to raise awareness of the condition and help fund research into congenital heart issues | Submitted

Now, as Robbie and his partner Kiri look ahead to Gray’s surgery, they remain steadfast in their mission to celebrate and uplift children with learning disabilities and to advocate for greater understanding, inclusion and employment opportunities.

David McColgan, Head of British Heart Foundation Scotland, said: “Congratulations to Robbie for his incredible and inspiring achievement, completing the London Marathon in honour of his son Gray.

“There are 30 babies diagnosed with a heart defect every month in Scotland and funds raised by wonderful fundraisers like Robbie help the British Heart Foundation to continue our research to improve and save lives - keeping families together for longer. This support for our life-saving work is so appreciated and remains at the heart of our efforts to beat heartbreak forever.”

Gray’s journey isn’t over - and neither is the fundraising. If you’d like to contribute to this incredible cause and help fund vital research into congenital heart disease, please consider making a donation via Robbie’s JustGiving page.