Myself and Kyle are going to creating and partaking in two fitness challenges over the next two months to raise money for Mind Charity and Royal Oldham Hospitals NICU (neonatal intensive care) department through NorthCare charity.

We have:

A 100 rep Fitness Circuit - 400 rounds to be completed which equals to 40,000 reps. We need the help of the public for this one, anyone can partake, even if it is 1 round! This will be held at The Unit Fitness Saddleworth on 10/09/2022!!

A bike ride (in the gym) the distance of Lands End to John O’Groats. This is Cornwall to Scotland which equals to 847 miles! We will be completing this in increments- and it will be completed by the latest 31/10/22. This is due to work and family commitments.

Mind charity is extremely close to our hearts, with Kyle and I both suffering with poor mental health in the past, and Kyle now being a qualified mental health and exercise coach. Poor mental health is at an all time high, and if we can all do just a little bit to get awareness up, and help people suffering, the world will be a better place.

Most of you are aware of Isaac’s journey, that my water broke at 26 weeks.

We received excellent support from Royal Oldham Hospitals NICU department, which was extremely nice to say that I was still pregnant.

I was admitted to Royal Oldham Hospital on the Labour ward for a week to get the correct treatment.

The lead NICU nurse who was on shift that day, took time out of her day to come around to my room and explained what was happening to our baby, she offered us advice, information, leaflets. She explained what equipment would possibly be used at what times, what disabilities Isaac was at risk of and the percentages of him having these and she offered to show us around the NICU ward and show us the equipment as soon as my magnesium sulphate drip had finished.

Luckily our cheeky monkey stayed put for 9 weeks and made his grand entrance at 35 weeks.

Unfortunately, he stopped breathing and the crash team had to be called in to resuscitate him.

They rushed Isaac off to NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care) where he was intubated on a ventilator, on an antibiotic drip for sepsis, on a glucose drip to keep him blood sugars up and later received phototherapy due to jaundice.

As you can imagine, both of our mental health plummeted, we didn’t see our baby for hours, and when we did we was advised not to touch him.

Our brand new little baby was on a life support machine.

I was already in a vulnerable place due to suffering with prenatal depression.

I felt that everything Isaac was going through was my fault because I couldn’t carry him until a safe gestation.

The support we received from the NICU team was next to none, the help we received off them was amazing.

They cared for our baby when we couldn’t.

They saved his life.

Royal Oldham Hospitals NICU department offers the highest level of specialised intensive care to poorly neonates and preemies.

They didn’t only save Isaacs life, they save baby’s lives daily born from as early as 22 weeks!

As you can imagine; both of these charities that we have chosen are extremely close to our hearts, and any donation, big, small or even just a share would be amazing.

We would like to keep both monies raised as equal as possible so that both charities receive an equal amount.

This is just a little thank you to the charities that saved our lives, so many before, and many more in the future ❤️