Turning 50 this year had me looking for an achievement to mark the occasion, celebrate life and remember friends and family no longer with us. So I signed up for the 2 Wish National 3 Peaks Challenge!

I met Rhian, CEO of 2 Wish several years ago when she spoke at a course that I run at work called ‘The Day the Simulator Died’, an educational day for frontline doctors, nurses, paramedics and police which aims to increase professional confidence when managing the devastating and tragic a situation when a child dies unexpectedly. 

When someone dies, the effects are devastating for those who knew and loved them. 2 Wish is a charity based in Wales and their mission is to ensure that all those affected by the sudden and traumatic death of a child or young adult aged 25 or under throughout Wales receive the bereavement support they deserve. They aim to:-Ensure every Emergency Department in Wales has a suitable bereavement suite for bereaved families.-Ensure that bereavement boxes are available for families at each of these hospitals.-Ensure that immediate bereavement support is available for suddenly bereaved families.-Provide a professional bereavement counselling service.-Provide support to individuals who witness the sudden and traumatic death of a child or young adult.-Provide staff support and training.

Also this year, my friend Naomi died just a few weeks after she was diagnosed with bowel cancer. This challenge will also raise funds for St Peter & St James Hospice in Sussex where Naomi was cared for.