Young golfer aims to raise £100,000 in memory of dad who died after heart transplant in Newcastle

Katie Cole went to meet the boy preparing to tee off and break a world record

A 7-year-old boy is on course to raise £100,000 in memory of his dad who died following a heart transplant.

George Hughes, from Wigan, was just 18 months old when his dad Dave had a heart transplant at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle in May 2018. Sadly, complications led to Dave passing away 11 weeks later.

During that short time, the Hughes family were supported by the Freeman Heart and Lung Transplant Association which helped them with accommodation, travel and emotional support.

George's mum Louise Hughes, who married Dave at the Freeman Hospital, started fundraising with George in 2019.

Mrs Hughes said: " We're hoping to get to the £100,000 mark this year. We are up to £88,000 so far and all the money goes towards helping transplant families in Newcastle. It's not just Newcastle they are based, it's all over the country.

"It was the little things like they would call and say let me pay your petrol because we were back and forth from Newcastle to Wigan and that was a lot of money.

"You could ask them for anything you want and it wasn't just about the money either, the people who run it are all transplant patients and families so they know the situation."

George is hoping to set a world record by playing five rounds of golf in five different countries in 24 hours. He will tee off in Ireland on 20 June and aims to finish the following day in Wales.

He will also play on courses in Scotland, Ireland and in Cheshire in England.

George will be supported on the golf course by his grandfather Tony Sedgwick who said: "I feel like the luckiest grandad in the world because I get to play golf with George who loves the sport and plays in all weathers.

"We are keeping Dave's memory alive. George and the family talk a lot about transplants and organ donation is key.

"People should talk about organ donation, share your wishes, talk about it with your family, you can save so many lives and be a superhero even when you pass away."

As well as fundraising, Louise Hughes was so inspired by the nurses who cared for Dave that the year after he died she started training to become a nurse.

She said: "I'm now I'm a fully qualified nurse. I work at my local hospital here but my end goal would be to be a transplant nurse and that would be very special to me. I feel I could talk to the families because I know what they are going through. That's my end goal eventually."

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