A seven-year-old girl has revealed the inspiring admission made to her mum as she crossed the finish line completing her 50k running challenge in honour of Cardiff Dog's Home.
Hope O’Reilly from Cardiff completed her final run for the month on Thursday evening and smashed her original target of £200 for the animal centre.
She completed her final mile in Grangetown in front of 40 friends, family members, school teachers and staff from Cardiff Dogs Home.
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While the weather may have been a bit dreary, the support was phenomenal as Hope admitted to her mum she didn't think she'd be able to do it.
Hope’s mum, Lisa Freeman, told TeamDogs : “It was amazing, everyone was quite emotional, chanting and shouting as Hope crossed the line.
“She was quite overwhelmed. On the run she said, ‘Mum, I didn’t think I could do this. I didn’t want to tell you but on the first run, I didn’t think I’d be able to do it.’
“I told her you can do anything, this is what it shows you.”
It was Hope’s love of dogs which spurred her through the wet and windy evenings of September, as she fit the running in after her school days in year three.
A couple of weeks ago, she visited Cardiff Dogs Home and learnt the stories of each of the dogs which only increased her motivation.
Hope set out to raise £200, a figure she has now surpassed by over £1,000. Her current total raised is £1,410.
Lisa said, “She’s been really thankful. I read the messages to her and she thanked every single person who has sponsored her.
“She doesn’t take anything for granted, she knows people have given their hard earned money.”
The money raised will go towards Sam Warburton’s appeal for £500,000 needed for the dog home’s refurbishment.
The work will go towards transforming the kennels into safe, warm, private spaces for the dogs who can sometimes spend as long as 12 months at the rescue centre before being rehomed.
There is still time to donate to Hope’s fundraiser here .
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