This year will be the 7th in which I’ve looked to help try and raise an awareness of SHINE's Anencephaly support group. The events of the past year meant I was unfortunately unable to complete last years planned events due to the effects of our national lockdown and my working commitments throughout. This years will therefore be my 6th event to help promote the work that our support group provides for its members, and to help raise funds for our charity to continue its amazing work. 

Our support group currently has over 720 members and aims to ensue anyone who has ever been affected by an anencephaly diagnosis is aware that our support network is there if needed, and ultimately the hope is than no one should ever have to face the consequences of this condition alone.

Anencephaly is a non-life sustaining neural tube defect that develops during the early stages of a pregnancy, in which the child's brain, skull and facial features will fail to fully develop. The parents of a child diagnosed with anencephaly are then faced with the heartbreakingly impossible decision as to attempt to continue their pregnancy to full term, or to surgically end their pregnancy. A child that is born full term with anencephaly however will be unable to live beyond a few hours following his or her birth, due to the nature of, and the devistating effects of anencephaly.

We are aware that there can sometimes be a stigma attached towards the option of choosing to ending a pregnancy early, and as a support group our main objective is to provide a non judgmental support system, to help support parents regardless of the impossible choice they have had to make, and for those affected to eventually move forward following a diagnosis. We also provide advice and support towards the planning of any future pregnancies, give a platform and a safe space for people to share their personal experiences, and most importantly help support each other and ensure that nobody ever has to feel that they are alone.

Anencephaly is a condition that my wife and I have been hugely affected by over the past 11 years, we have lost three children over this time, with two being confirmed as suffering from anencephaly. We later found, through genetic testing, that the two children we lost too anencephaly would have been girls, but due to a miscarriage we were heartbreakingly unable to ever find the gender or a definite cause for our third child.. 

I have been a member of SHINE's Anencephaly support group and have helped the group by working as a voluntary administrator for the past seven years, each year aiming to help raise an awareness that our group is available. Being able to hold these annual fundraiser events has also helped me greatly on a personal level, allowing me to have some degree of closure and being be able to turn what was an overwhelmingly negative and destructive period of my life into a positive through having the chance to help others.

For this years Fundraiser I (aim) to run 2000 kilometres between 12.09.21/12.09.22. Including event runs such as the Mersey tunnel 10k, Taking part in the Mersey races 50k week, and the Liverpool Rock and Roll half marathon.

Anybody who would like to join me in any of the above races, or would like to take part in any fundraising activities would be most welcomed, and all donations and support thankfully received. Over the past seven years a total of £6,500 has been raised for SHINE's Anencephaly support group for which I again cant thank everyone who has donated enough for.

Thanks, Ian.