You may already be aware of  Mal’s story. If not, Mal has overcome almost zero chance of survival  to beat CoVid-19 and earn himself the nickname Miracle Mal.

On 29th March 2020 Mal was admitted to Princess of Wales ITU in Bridgend. That was the day our world fell apart. An hour later we received a call to say he was seriously ill and would need to go on a ventilator with odds of surviving 50:50.

The following weekend we were told he wasn’t going to make it. I begged for myself, Hana and Wiliam to be able to go in and say goodbye and thankfully we were allowed. It was heartbreaking to see him lying there in a coma with a large tube in his mouth and so many other lines. It was destroying to hear the kids tell him through their tears they loved him, would miss him so much but they would make him proud.

Incredibly, and against all the odds, Mal made it through that night and spent 61 critical days on a ventilator, a further 19 days in ICU and two weeks in a renal ward in UHW, Cardiff.

It was a horrendous rollercoaster of a few months  in the most extreme of circumstances, not being able to see Mal or be with our family. 

During this time Mal received the most wonderful care. The ITU team looked after him like he was one of their own and the matron Amanda and her team also did all they could to help myself and the kids. 

For a long time we never expected him to come home but on 1st July he walked out of hospital. Mal still has a long way to go and will have life changing long term effects, but he is here, getting stronger every day - our miracle.

We wanted to do something to show our gratitude and to hopefully, even in a small way, help families in a similar situation. Whilst the critical care family room couldn’t be used during CoVid due to the no visitor policy we did go in there the night we went to say goodbye. It will be an important room once visitors are one again allowed but is in need of refurbishment. It would be lovely if we could provide the hospital with some funds to help with this.

We have had the most incredible support from so many during this difficult time with many wanting to donate to a worthy cause reflecting Mal’s journey.

So, the Miles For Mal fundraising challenge will start on 29th August - 5 months from the day he was hospitalised - and run for 94 days, the length of time he was in hospital. This is not so much about Mal but about how he represents all those that spend time in ICU, how difficult it is for the families and how incredible the care is they all receive.

It’s really simple - just walk / run / cycle / swim either 9.4 miles (individually or in a family or group) as a one off event or do the same for 94 miles over the period of 94 days (as many times as you like!).  Or you can workout for 9.4 or 94 minutes. The choice is yours. No real rules, just be active for a period of time, individually or with family and friends (following social distancing rules) for a period of time and / or distance that includes 9 and a 4, donate using the link and post your exercise on the Facebook page @miles4mal posting  pics if you’re happy using the hashtag #miles4mal 

If anyone would like to organise any separate fundraising events we would be additionally grateful.   Please feel free to go ahead and do so, donating through the same link.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Thank you so, so much. Please stay safe, follow the rules and protect the NHS. It’s still out there  xxx