25/04/2026
House of Dogs is taking a little trip to London this weekend and not just for a break… ❤️
Behind this small business is a story that changed our family forever, and this weekend we’ll be cheering on as he takes on the London Marathon for a cause incredibly close to our hearts.
Most of our regulars already know a little of our story, and although I don’t often share much of my personal life on social media, this is something deeply important to our family.
Back in 2021, I went off on maternity leave expecting those newborn days to look a certain way. But at just 10 days old, our daughter Esme unknowingly went into heart failure. At 14 days old, she was diagnosed with AVSD. It was a huge shock for all of us 😔
Esme needed open heart surgery in 2021, and we know she will need further surgery at some point down the line. Through everything, she has shown more strength than we could ever imagine and she is without a doubt the thing I am most proud of in this life ☺️💪🏼
I share our story because if it helps even one family feel less alone, it’s worth sharing 🫶🏼
My partner Mathew started running as a way to cope with everything we were going through. Over the past 5 years he has taken on so many incredible challenges, and for the last 3 years we’ve been fundraising for the British Heart Foundation through events including the London Marathon 🏃
Together, we’ve now raised an incredible £35,000, with £17,145 raised for BHF alone. We honestly cannot thank everyone enough for the support, donations, encouragement and love along the way ❤️
If anybody would like to support this year’s marathon fundraiser, there is a link in our bio to donate. Every single donation means the world to us ☺️
Thank you always for supporting our little business and our family.
