Lillington girl Alex Hood’s father continues his fundraising efforts in her memory

Alex Hood, who lived in Telford Avenue, was diagnosed with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (EB) shortly after she was born in 1989 and would have been 26 years old in February.

Her dad Robin, who started fundraising in order to try to find a cure for EB in 1994, will be pulling a supermarket trolley from the Orkney Islands to near Dumfries next month.

He will cover about 600 miles with the trolley, which he used to pull Alex along when he ran the London Marathon in 2001 and another child with EB in a 50-mile even in Ireland.

Mr Hood, who is now the chairman of DEBRA the charity which aims to find a cure for EB and supports patients and their families, said: “I am doing this to say ‘thank you’ to those who helped me raise millions of pounds for DEBRA and to give them an opportunity to buy my biography which tells my story.”

The Biography, Smile Daddy I’m Dying, was released in March and describes Alex and her father’s struggle.

Mr Hood said: “This will let people know what a remarkable daughter I had who achieved so much despite all she endured and I am proud to say that I was her Father.

“Researchers are now talking about finding an effective treatment or even a cure within the next five to ten years.

“The improvements in the quality of life since Alex was born have gone up leaps and bounds.

“I may have lost the battle with Alex but I can still win the war against EB.”

Copies of the book cost £7.95.

For more information visit smiledaddyimdying.co.uk