DO IT FOR LUKE; Mum of liver disease victim asks runners to help charity.

Byline: JOANNE BUTCHER

A CAMPAIGNING mum who lost her son to childhood liver disease is urging runners to raise funds for other sick children.

Klaire Munnelly cradled her son Luke Baugh in her arms as he passed away aged 12, having fought a rare liver condition since he was four years old.

Named after his dad's Star Wars hero Luke Skywalker, the youngster battled the illness with courage worthy of his namesake, but a liver transplant failed to save him.

Klaire, 34, said her loving son, who went to Heaton Manor School, thought of others above himself throughout his illness.

"Luke was a truly wonderful boy," she said.

"He had such a wonderful spirit, the type of boy who would try anything. He kept on fighting and fighting, but in the end his little body just got so tired."

Now Klaire, who is also mum to Rhys, six, and Isabella, four, is urging others to help children like Luke, by calling for Great North Run competitors to raise money for the Children's Liver Disease Foundation (CLDF).

The young mum told how she discovered the charity soon after Luke went through with a liver transplant in October 2007, and found their help and advice invaluable. She said: "They were fantastic, a lifeline at that desperately worrying time.

"When the worst happened, and Luke died, I wanted to give something back.

"I want the support CLDF gives to continue to help other families and the research it funds to give families hope for the future."

Klaire raised around pounds 7,000 for the foundation after Luke's death.

"It's what he wanted," she said.

"Even when he was in hospital, he said about having a fundraising party to raise some money for other children.

"That's the sort of boy he was."

Two children a day are diagnosed with a childhood liver disease, which is more than childhood leukaemia, yet many people are completely unaware that children get liver disease.

Klaire added: "CLDF is the lead charity funding research into the causes and treatments of these terrible diseases and I'm urging the North East's runners to put their best foot forward for CLDF at this year''s Great North Run."

Catherine Arkley, chief executive of CLDF said: "Runners and their supporters can be assured that every penny really does count in the fight against childhood liver disease.

"Funds raised in the Great North Run will allow our information, support and research programmes to continue to help thousands of families living with the consequences of childhood liver disease day in, day out."

Runners who have a place at this year''s Great North Run who would like to find out more can call CLDF on [phone] or e-mail [e-mail] had such a wonderful spirit, the " type of boy who would try anything. He kept on fighting and fighting, but in the end his little body just got so tired

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BRAVE FIGHT: Luke Baugh died aged just 12 IN LUKE'S MEMORY: Klaire Munnelly with children Rhys and Isabella,