RELATIVES of a Wirral tot diagnosed with a life-threatening heart condition hope to raise thousands of pounds for the hospital that treated him when they take on Wirral’s half marathon this month.

Shane Bryan and best friend Siobhan Crofts have signed up for the 13-mile race at Birkenhead Park in the hope of saying a massive thank you to the staff who treated Shane’s 16-month-old nephew Reuben Reynolds.

The brave tot has spent much of his young life in and out of hospital.

He has Tetrology of Fallot, a problem affecting the heart’s structure that’s present at birth, which changes the normal flow of blood through the heart.

He also has Chromosome 22-deleted, a congenital defect which affects the heart’s rhythm.

Reuben, who lives with his grandparents Sue and Billy in New Ferry, has had open-heart surgery twice and recently had a stent fitted – a small mesh tube used to treat narrow or weak arteries by helping blood flow from the heart to other parts of the body.

His 26-year-old uncle Shane said: “Reuben has a lot of other problems like growth yet he’s so happy. He only weighs a stone but he’s so funny and cute.

“Alder Hey have been amazing and he will always need medical help there.”

Shane and Siobhan have been training hard for the half marathon on October 12, running around Port Sunlight River Park each morning and afternoon as well as sticking to a strict diet.

“We are doing it to raise as much as possible and the whole community is amazing, everyone knows Reuben,” said Shane, who describes Reuben as the happiest boy he knows.

“He has a private Facebook page with over 1,000 people – he’s somewhat of a local celebrity and everyone I know falls in love with him.

“It is a massive challenge but it’s amazing knowing we are saving kid’s lives.

“My parents have raised Reuben since he was six-weeks-old. They are 74 and 60 and are so inspirational – we just want to give something back so this challenge seems perfect to get my heart rate flowing for my beautiful nephew and all the other sick kids.”

Due to Reuben’s popularity, Shane has created a second Facebook group open to the public.

To sponsor Shane and Siobhan, visit justgiving.com/Shane-Bryan1

To find out more about Reuben, search for Reuben’s Life Story on Facebook.