Hundreds of runners will pound the streets on May 24 to help save the life of a two-year-old girl stricken with a heart disease.

A photo of the little girl which appeared in The Royal Gazette in February touched the hearts of the Marathon Derby committee and as a result Kandice Young was the President’s Pick to receive donations to go towards her medical expenses.

Kandice has Hetropaxy Syndrome, a congenital heart disease, and also has pulmonary veins stanosis, which causes her veins to close, cutting off the blood and oxygen to her lungs.

Since losing the use of her left lung, she survives solely on the right but must undergo constant treatment.

Kandice has undergone three operations and although medical insurance covers most of her costs, her travel expenses to the Children’s Hospital in Boston still run into thousands of dollars.

Marathon Derby President Dr. Gina Tucker chose Kandice as her President’s Pick after the little girl plight was featured in The Royal Gazette

Dr. Tucker said: “When I saw the picture in The Royal Gazettethis person touched my heart. I look for stories to come up but this one stayed with me.

“It’s so heart-wrenching when a very little child is sick and she is so beautiful.”

On hearing her daughter will be a recipient in this year’s Marathon Derby, mother Derika Young said: “I’m really pleased.

“She had some surgery in March but may have to go back in July for more as they’re looking for long term goals for her.”

The Island’s longest-running road race is in its 97th year and will, for the first time this year, raise money for a charity and someone in the community who has “come upon hard times”. The winning charity is Focus Counselling Services.

The other charities short-listed for yesterday’s draw were the Sunshine League children’s home and adult education provider CARE Learning Centre.

Shaun Morris, managing partner of Appleby — the law firm sponsoring this year’s race — announced Focus as the winner.

Nelson Bascome, counsellor at the drugs treatment and rehabilitation centre, said: “On behalf of the executive director Sandra Butterfield, we at the Focus family are not only elated but grateful to receive the support for what we believe is the fight for people’s lives in terms of addiction.

“We are grateful to be linked with a prestigious event of such a historic nature. Hopefully it will also provide more awareness among the people of Bermuda that services are ongoing.”

Competitors in the half-marathon will pay an extra $10 in their entry fee which will go directly to Kandice and Focus Counselling Services. Participants can also collect extra funds with race pledge sheets.

The committee say they expect the initiative to attract between 650 and 1,000 runners this year. The 13.2 mile race will be run on Bermuda Day from Somerset to Bernard Park. Plans for a prize-giving event near Court Street on May 25 are also underway, including a draw of everyone’s race numbers.

Dr. Tucker added: “As promised, the Annual Bermuda Marathon Derby is going to the next level.

“In keeping with our new tag line ‘Giving You a Reason to Run’, this and future marathons will be run in support of a selected Derby Charity.

“We realise that nearly 80 percent of marathon participants run in support of charities and expect that many more persons will run for this reason alone.

“The more of us that run, the bigger and better the donations.”

Dr. Tucker said the selection of Focus Counselling Services was “fitting”.

“We know that the community has been suffering from the evils of drug use and several of our young people and old are struggling to get off of drugs, so we think it only fitting that it should be a charity which focuses on our social evils.

“Any effort towards getting people off of drugs is helping the community, so we are very pleased Focus is selected this year.

“We trust and hope that the community will rally around both Focus and Kandice Young, to ensure the 2007 Derby Charity donation is representative of the love we have for our Bermuda.”

Anyone wanting to make a donation can do so via pledge sheets from Cellular One stores. Other sponsors of the event are Barritt’s and BGA.