Their son Cooper, now two, was diagnosed with meningococcal disease at eight months old. The family spent weeks at Randwick Children’s Hospital.

So last year, when they found out one of their daughter’s preschool friends, four-year-old Clara Brown, had been diagnosed with leukaemia, memories of their time in hospital came flooding back.

‘‘When we found out Clara was diagnosed with leukaemia at just four years old it really upset us, because we were still hanging on to what we went through and now it was also happening to a friend of ours,’’ Mr Watt said.

‘‘But we knew that the hospital and staff were just fantastic and we wanted to do something for the hospital and also for Clara and her family.’’

With the support of Clara’s parents and her preschool class at Helensburgh’s Happy Hearts Academy Early Learning Centre, the Watts started Kids Walk for Life.

On Saturday, children, parents and teachers will walk the 35km coast road from Helensburgh to Wollongong Harbour.

They hope to raise $10,000 for Randwick Children’s Hospital and have already raised more than $8000 towards their goal.

Mr Watt said some Helensburgh businesses had donated thousands of dollars towards the cause and he was expecting about 90 people to do the walk on Saturday.

‘‘We can’t believe the amount of support from the community and especially people in Helensburgh. They’ve come from everywhere to donate money, so this donation will really be from the whole of Helensburgh to the children’s hospital,’’ he said.

Since being diagnosed in October last year, Clara has been in and out of hospital for treatment, but Mr Watt said he was hoping she might be able to attend part of the walk on Saturday.

Donate to Kids Walk for Life at www.gofundraise.com.au/page/walk.