For Rudi Desai – A Walk of Love & Hope

For most of last year, I was counting down the days to welcome a beautiful new addition to our family. My cousin Prashant and his wife Lauren were expecting their first child, and the excitement was something we all shared deeply. I was going to be a fui (auntie) again – ready to make lifelong memories with my new nephew or niece, to be a part of their laughter, milestones, and love.

In October, baby Rudi was born. But instead of those joyful first days we’d imagined, Rudi spent nearly all of his short life in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. He received the most compassionate and expert care possible, surrounded constantly by love. Despite every effort, our precious Rudi passed away after just three days – held in the arms of his mum and dad, with our family by his side.

Rudi’s life may have been short, but his impact on our hearts will never fade.

In his memory, I’m taking on a walk that is as much emotional as it is physical. This June, I will walk 107 miles – from Leeds Children’s Hospital to Birmingham Children’s Hospital – continuously, starting on the evening of June 25th, with the aim of arriving in Birmingham on the afternoon of June 27th.

This journey is for Rudi. To keep his memory alive. To honour the love we all felt for him. And to raise vital funds for Birmingham Children’s Hospital, which supports over 90,000 children and young people each year.

Our family will never forget the care and dignity Rudi received – not only during his time in hospital, but in the days that followed. Your donation, no matter how small, can help other families who find themselves facing the unimaginable.

Please, if you can, donate in memory of Rudi Desai – so that his name lives on through the support and hope we can offer to others.

With all my heart, thank you ❤️