Abigail's Footsteps
Gary's Kirklees Way Challenge
Gary has set himself the challenge to walk Kirklees Way, a 72-mile waymarked footpath in Kirklees metropolitan district, setting off on 28th May and aiming to complete in 30hrs!
Story
Gary has set himself the challenge to walk Kirklees Way, a 72-mile waymarked footpath in Kirklees metropolitan district, West Yorkshire, England. It was opened in 1990 and includes the upper Colne Valley, Spen Valley and Holme Valley. The Peak District Boundary Walk follows the Kirklees Way for a few miles either side of Holme. He will set off on 28th May and is aiming to complete the walk in 30hrs!
All funds raised will be donated to Abigail's Footsteps, a baby loss charity providing support and counselling for bereaved parents and families as well as specialist bereavement training for midwives and healthcare professionals. Since 2010, Abigail's Footsteps have worked to improve the way bereaved parents are cared for by hospitals and to better educate midwives on how to care for grieving parents. Sadly, stillbirths and neo-natal deaths occur daily, yet many hospitals are not equipped to deal with the parental care required, they have inadequate facilities and their staff receive little to no bereavement training.
Gary is the author of 'Daddy and the Two Bears'
This powerful book about a journey of grief, loss and mental health struggles will inspire and captivate you as a reader. Gary tells how he navigated the emotional journey of his wife's pregnancy, the birth, and then the loss , of his twin baby daughters, Alana & Dana. This was all happening while he was also dealing with his own mental health issues and traumas. This book will inform Dads suffering with mental health and bereavement, partners, family members, midwives, neonatal staff, doctors, nurses, mental health professionals and counsellors - anyone who would benefit from gaining an insight into such a tragic time. This book offers hope to all that read it. A must-read!'