A tot died last month while waiting for a heart transplant – but her memory will live on at the Great North Run this week. Poppy Lambert, 2, died in August.

The little lass – from Cleator Moor near Whitehaven – was a patient at the Freeman Hospital’s Children’s Heart Unit. She had a condition called Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF).

After multiple surgeries, she was on the urgent transplant list, but contracted an infection and died during August. Now, her story is inspiring Alice Conlin, who is marketing and communications executive at the Red Sky Foundation charity.

Red Sky Foundation was founded in Sunderland by parents Sergio and Emma Petrucci shortly after their daughter Luna had open-heart surgery prior to her second birthday in 2015. Since then, they have raised huge amounts of cash to support life-saving cardiac care, including at the Freeman.

Alice will be tackling the iconic half-marathon dressed as the Tin Man, form the Wizard of Oz. The character, famously, is searching for a heart.

She said: “When I first dressed as the Tin Man for the Sunderland 10K, I wanted to do something that would make people stop, look and hopefully think about organ donation. The Tin Man was searching for a heart, and there are babies and children in hospitals across the UK doing exactly the same thing. They’re waiting for a second chance.

“This weekend that message will mean more to me than ever. I’ll be running for Poppy and carrying her memory with me for every one of those 13.1 miles.

ChronicleLive has created a dedicated WhatsApp community for breaking news and our biggest stories. You can join this WhatsApp community here. It will keep you up-to-date with news as it breaks and our top stories of the day sent directly to your phone.

“She was just two years old and had already fought more battles than most of us could ever imagine. Poppy, Her story and her family will stay in my heart forever. It is an absolute privilege to dedicate this run to her and to help keep her memory alive while raising awareness for all of the other children who are still desperately waiting.”

Alice added that it was vital to discuss organ donation openly. She said: “Talking about organ donation can feel difficult, but these conversations really can save lives. Please let this be your reminder to speak to your loved ones, tell them your wishes and have that conversation.

Alice Conlin as the Tin Man – she’s running the Great North Run in the same outfit (Image: Red Sky Foundation / Handout)
“Organ donation is an incredible lasting legacy. One selfless decision has the power to give somebody more birthdays, more memories and more precious time with the people they love.”

The charity has highlighted how, with more than 8,000 people waiting for NHS organ transplants. One youngster to have received such a transplant is little Beatrix Adamson Archbold. Beatrix, who is now five and “thriving” and loving life at school, is participating in the Mini Great North Run for the third time on Saturday.

Dr Sergio Petrucci added: “As a charity, we see first-hand what the gift of organ donation can mean to children and their families. It can mean another birthday, another Christmas, another first day at school and ultimately the chance to grow up. But we must never forget that behind every transplant is an incredibly special donor and their family.

“To those families who, during the most devastating moments of their lives, have supported their loved one’s decision to donate and helped to save another person’s life – we will never be able to thank you enough. Your loved one’s legacy lives on in every heartbeat, every milestone and every precious extra moment their gift has made possible.

“This weekend we want people across the North East and beyond to talk about organ donation. Tell your family your wishes and make sure they know what you would want. One conversation today could mean everything to another family in the future.”