Frankie, who is just over a year old, is the honorary 41st runner in the 2023 Randox Grand National at Aintree.
Frankie was born in March 2022. Prior to his birth, he had been diagnosed with gastroschisis which meant he would be born with his bowels on the outside of his stomach and surgery to fix this would be needed within hours of birth.
Gastroschisis is a rare condition which affects only 1 in 3,000 babies. These operations can only be done in a specialised children’s hospital with full paediatric surgery facilities such as Alder Hey, so Frankie and his family had to leave their local hospital and make the trip to an unfamiliar environment.
Frankie’s mum Jessica was also separated from Frankie during his first night at Alder Hey while she was waiting to be discharged from Arrowe Park Hospital. This meant that she was unable to see her newborn baby until the next day, apart from five minutes before the transport team had to move him to Alder Hey. At midnight that evening Jessica received the phone call to confirm that all had gone well with the one hour-long operation, and that Frankie was recovering in the Neonatal Unit on the cardiac ward at Alder Hey.
To view a video of Frankie and his mum Jessica being presented Aintree tickets by jockey Rachael Blackmore, an ambassador for The Jockey Club who won the 2021 Randox Grand National on Minella Times.
“Frankie and his mum Jessica are truly inspirational in the way they have faced up to the challenges life has presented them with. It was a privilege to meet them both and witness the unwavering support they have received from all the team at Alder Hey.
“It’s fantastic to have Frankie as the 41st runner this year and I look forward to catching up with them both again on Randox Grand National Day.”
2021 Grand National winner, Rachael Blackmore
The 41st runner initiative came about as a result of the partnership between Alder Hey Children’s Charity and Aintree Racecourse.
ln 2017, the inaugural 41st runner was five year old Neuroblastoma campaigner Bradley Lowery, who sadly died three months later. The Jockey Club has continued to work closely with the Bradley Lowery Foundation since Bradley’s death.
In 2018, the 41st place was given to three year old Edie Molyneux, who suffered from a rare brain tumour called Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). “Spider-Ede” – as she was affectionately known due to her love of Spiderman – sadly passed away in October of 2018.
Alder Hey Children’s Charity was given the honorary berth in 2019, while the Randox Grand National did not take place in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021 inspirational Liverpool teenager Lydia Barker was named as the honorary 41st runner. The then-19 year old struggled with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) for years but is studying to be a paediatric nurse and looks forward to a career helping other young people with mental health issues.
Last year’s 41st runner was then four year old Betty Batt, who was born more than four months premature weighing just 650 grams and spent the first 13 months of her life in hospital, primarily at Alder Hey.