The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Superfamily to all take part in new Race for Life
Charity: Parents of 13 children celebrate news of first grandchild with 5k family run
One of Scotland’s biggest families will grow further as a Dundee mother-of-13 prepares to become a grandmother for the first time.
Emma Hann,47, and her husband Roy, also 47, have 13 children: Rachel, 25, Sophia, 24, Polly, 22, Charlotte, 21, Alice, 18, Annabelle, 16, Jennifer, 14, Isabella 13, Jonas 11, Enos, nine, Eva, seven, Posy, five and Meg, two.
The Charleston family gets through 50 pints of milk, 21 loaves of bread and five large boxes of cereal every week, while the washing machine is rarely off in their six-bedroom home.
The family will further expand as Polly is expecting a baby with her husband Michael Watt, 24, in August, meaning Emma and Roy are about to become grandparents for the first time.
To celebrate, the entire family is taking part in this year’s Cancer Research UK Race for Life 5K and are urging other families to do their bit too.
Emma and Roy and their baker’s dozen worth of children will line up for the event in Camperdown Park on June 18 which also happens to be Father’s Day.
The family races are taking place at 10 venues alongside the traditional womenonly 5K, 10K and Pretty Muddy events.
Emma said: “My family are everything to me. Being a mum with 13 children has challenges. Often you have to be super-organised and other times you have to be super-flexible. Sometimes it’s best just to go with the flow as every single day can be super-different.
“It’s exhausting and every night when I fall into the bed I’m asleep in seconds. I wouldn’t have it any other way though as I love family life.
“I can’t wait to become a gran and I’m really looking forward to meeting the new arrival. But I know cancer touches so many families. That’s why I want to do everything I can to support research so families in Scotland who are going through cancer will have more tomorrows together.”
Roy said it will be an emotional moment taking part in Race for Life for the first time. His brother, Ben Hann, 40, of Edinburgh, went through thyroid cancer while Emma’s brother-in-law, Paul McDonald, 32, was also successfully treated for testicular cancer.
Roy who is a nurse practitioner at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee also works regularly with patients who have cancer.
He said: “I love being a dad and I’m really looking forward to becoming a grand ad. I’ ve seen first hand how devastating the disease can be. That’s why I’m determined to do everything I can to help fund research to help beat cancer sooner.
“Emma and some of my daughters have taken part in Race for Life in the past. I think it’s great that Cancer Research UK is introducing Race for Life Family 5K this year, which the boys and I can also take part in. Crossing the finish line altogether at Race for Life Family 5 K will be a brilliant way to celebrate Father’s Day this year.”
Lisa Adams, Cancer Research UK’s spokeswoman in Scotland, said: “We’d like to thank each and every member of the Hann family for helping us to launch Race for Life Family 5K.”
Anyone who wants to take part can sign up on the Race for Life website or by calling 0300 123 0770.