THE mother of identical twin brothers battling cystic fibrosis has praised staff at Oxford Children’s Hospital and urged others to sign up for the OX5 Run to raise money.

Three-year-olds Sonny and Harrison Styles have been regular visitors to the children’s hospital at the John Radcliffe this year, staying for up to two weeks at a time.

The youngsters, from Upper Heyford near Bicester, have been fighting the rare genetic lung condition which means they are often breathless and susceptible to chest infections. Yet their mum Jenna Styles said staff at the hospital and resources funded through The Oxford Mail’s OX5 Run in recent years had been invaluable.

She said: “For any parent, when your child is in hospital is one of the hardest, most worrying and stressful times of your life.

“When you have regular stays, like us, and having children with an ongoing condition like Cystic Fibrosis you constantly feel torn.

“You know all of the IVs, treatments, tests and gruelling physio regimes are in your child’s best interests and essential to their health and managing their condition.

“Yet when they are crying, angry and upset because they have just had enough, you want to protect them and give them a break or take it all away, but you know you can’t, you have to keep them going.”

She added: “It’s the staff at the hospital that help you do that. With their advice and support they help you be the parent you need to be.

“They encourage you, tell you you’re doing great, make you a cup of tea, have a laugh with you and remind you you’re still a person.

“Most importantly they get to know your child, their funny little ways and personalities and make them laugh too. It makes such a big difference.”

Along with husband John, both parents have been able to stay at Ronald McDonald House and be close by the twins.

Money from next year’s run, as with this year, will go towards a new 62-bedroom facility to house parents at the John Radcliffe site.

Mrs Styles said the current facility, which only has 17 beds, was ‘amazing’ and she encouraged fundraisers to lace up their running shoes and sign up to raise money.

This year’s event raised £126,000 bringing the OX5 Run total, since it launched in 200, to just shy of the £1m mark.

All money from the 2017 run went toward the hospital’s 10th anniversary appeal for parental accommodation, vital equipment and play areas.

Next year’s run will take place on Sunday, March 25 and will once again be sponsored by Oxford recruitment firm Allen Associates.

Sign up by going to ox5run.co.uk and click ‘register here’ to fill in the entry form.

It costs £17.50 to enter before February 25 – with proceeds going to the charity – and it is suggested each person aims to raise at least £200.