A YOUNG mum who battled through serious pregnancy complications and caring for her sick baby is running a marathon while still on maternity leave.

When Lisa Carr went into Whipps Cross University Hospital at 37 weeks’ pregnant, she expected a short visit followed by a final baby-free trip to a spa.

However, she was admitted after doctors found the 36 year-old had pre-eclampsia - high blood pressure that can cause kidney and liver problems in the baby.

Two days later, she had an emergency Caesarian and her son Noel Gene was born.

Mrs Carr said: “After contracting sepsis, he then spent the first ten days of his life in the hospital’s special care baby unit.

“The doctors and nurses there worked day and night to help him fight the life threatening condition.

“This all took place at the same time the NHS was hit with a cyber attack, meaning all computers were down and our notes were all being written up by hand.

“This created a lot of extra work for the staff, but the care they gave Noel was amazing.”

Recovering in her own bed and in ‘a lot of pain’, Mrs Carr’s husband Kevin went back and forth between his wife and son, taking photos of Noel to show his wife.

The newest edition to the Carr family was able to leave the baby unit after ten days and the family finally returned to their Buckhurst Hill home.

Doctors gave Mrs Carr the all-clear to start jogging again seven weeks after the birth and when she discovered she had secured a ballot place for the London Marathon several months after that, she decided to put it to good use.

The PR agent added: “I want to give something back to the special care baby unit at Whipps Cross Hospital.

“The work the team do there is incredible and without them parents such as myself and my husband wouldn’t be lucky enough to have a healthy and beautiful baby boy.

“I lost my best friend to breast cancer and I did the marathon twice in memory of her, but this one is particularly hard.

“Having a Caesarean is major surgery on your stomach and it’s scary.

“My husband has been amazing in supporting me.”

As for her journey back to fitness, Mrs Carr has found it a real slog.

“The weight doesn’t just drop off,” she said.

“I have lost about four stone since the baby arrived, but that is because I trained really hard about three times a week.”

Mrs Carr is fundraising for Barts Charity, which supports St Barts Hospital and Whipps Cross.

To support Mrs Carr, go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lisamcarr