Great North Run in aid of SANDS & Team Evie;
I am delighted to announce that I will be participating in the Great North Run on 9th September. This will be my first half-marathon (having never run more than 10k previously) so I am going to need all the support I can get! I will be running in memory of my nephew Edward Rhodes who, sadly, was stillborn at 28 weeks earlier this year. I will therefore be running in aid of 2 fantastic charities who have provided support to my relatives during this very difficult time; the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death charity (SANDS) and Team Evie.
SANDS is a national charity which supports anyone who has been affected by the death of a baby. They offer a helpline and an online forum and message board for families, as well as trained volunteers who provide a befriending service. SANDS also provide a wider family support pack and a memory box to help families cherish the precious time they have had with their baby.
https://www.sands.org.uk/
Team Evie is a smaller charity based in West Cumbria who provide support to sick children and their families. Their work includes:
· Supporting many of the Children’s Wards and medical teams across the region, including the West Cumberland Hospital Children’s Ward, the Cumberland Infirmary Children’s Ward and various wards at the Great North Children’s Hospital
· Providing support for families in North and West Cumbria who are looking after poorly children at home
· Providing bereavement support for parents who have sadly lost a child.
https://www.teamevie.org/
After Edward’s death we were surprised by the number of friends and family who revealed similar experiences. Stillbirth is a terrible situation that no parent-to-be ever wants to face, but it happens to more couples than I realised; in the UK alone, on average 9 babies are stillborn each day. These charities play an important role in supporting families at such a terrible time; therefore I would be immensely grateful for any donation you are able to make - however big or small. Please follow the JustGiving link below to make your donation (the money raised will be divided equally between the 2 charities). Many thanks for your support!
https://www.justgiving.com/teams/GNRDanielMackay
