Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

This summer myself and two others shall be setting ourselves the mammoth task of completing the Three Peaks Challenge, for those of you who are not aware this involves climbing the three highest mountains in England, Scotland and Wales within 24 hours Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis and Snowdon! This shall all be to raise money for the CICU in the LRI.

On the run up to our climb, we shall be undertaking some intense training to get ourselves fit and ready to take on this challenge as none of us have ever set ourselves to such a physically challenging task... Ever!

The reason we are doing this is because on the 3rd July last year my 3 week old son Niall took poorly, after growing concerned and visiting LRI, Niall was quickly assessed and alarm bells started ringing with the doctors as his stats did not look good! Niall was quickly admitted to the children's high dependency unit where further tests were taken and he was given some help with his breathing! We were told by the consultants and nurses that Niall had a rapid heart beat reading in the 270's rather than the 120's 130's which is where his heart beat should have been, his body had started shutting down and he was seriously ill. They supported him with a Cpap machine to support his breathing and gave him antibiotics and anti virals to cover anything that he could have contracted at his young age! After a couple of hours, bloods being taken and tests carried out we were transferred to the Children's intensive care unit, the consultants and nurses explained to us that Niall was deteriorating and he would need to be supported on this unit to give him the best possible chance. After a few hours on intensive care, which seemed like a lifetime the consultants and nurses advised us that Niall would have to be put on a ventilator as he was too weak to fight for himself, this moment was crushing we were told by the consultants that we had a seriously poorly little boy and they would do everything they could for him! Our hearts were breaking but we were constantly being reassured and comforted by the incredible consultants and nurses in CICU that he was in the best care. After a few days Niall finally started to pick up and after numerous tests and scans which included a heart scan, lumber puncture, brain scan, and numerous blood tests results finally came back from the labs that he was extremely unlucky to have contracted viral meningitis, he continued being supported by the ventilator and was given a blood transfusion, we slowly started to see our boy improving. After a couple more days we were told he was now strong enough to come off the ventilator and we watched him get considerably better each day! The consultants, doctors and nurses saved our babies life and as well as doing their job medically with Niall they helped us through the ordeal to, explaining everything they were doing in great detail and why, and even offering a shoulder to cry on at times day and night. Nothing was too much for them. 

So why am I doing this? Niall is now a strong and healthy 7 month old little boy. There is nothing we can say or do which would show how grateful we are as a family, we owe them everything and I hope that raising money for this amazing team just gives something back in some little way and maybe helps to save another unfortunate child's life! 

Please donate as little or as much as you can to help support this charity, and get behind us with your support as we will be putting our bodies on the line!!!