Team Lowen & Ava
Participants: Helen Morris & Ed Wallis, Brendan & Gemma Morris, Joe & Hannah Morris, Nathan Morris & Lilly Wagner, Carl Betteridge
Participants: Helen Morris & Ed Wallis, Brendan & Gemma Morris, Joe & Hannah Morris, Nathan Morris & Lilly Wagner, Carl Betteridge
Oxford Half Marathon 2022 · 16 October 2022 ·
UPDATE- we did it! Thank you everyone for your support, it’s meant the world. See post below for times and pictures.
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We are four siblings and their partners running for Petals because two of us have lost our babies.
Tragically on the 4th December 2019 Helen and Ed's second son Lowen died at 41 weeks pregnancy due to an issue with his placenta. Unbelievably, for completely unrelated reasons, Joe and Hannah lost their precious daughter Ava during labour on December 8th 2021.
Losing a child isn't like being extremely sad, it's like being hit by a bus. It's frightening, disorientating and you wonder how you will ever lead anything like a normal life ever again.
Helen and Ed's Petals counsellor brilliantly supported them through their darkest times, grieving their son during the pandemic and an extremely anxious subsequent pregnancy. Joe and Hannah are being supported to put the pieces of their lives back together after such a devastating loss.
Helen and Joe have two other brothers, Brendan and Nathan, and we all wanted to come together as a family as an act of solidarity with each other. We want to celebrate and cherish the memories of Ava and Lowen, and the crucial role they play in our family. And we want to fundraise so that as many families as possible are offered Petals invaluable services if they face walking this difficult path.
We are a team of let's say "mixed abilities". Some of us are seasoned distance runners and will be sprinting round hoping to smash personal bests, while others of us are just hoping to finish!
THE TEAM
Helen & Ed - have run in the past but feeling pretty out of shape.
Brendan & Gemma - Brendan is our star runner and we hope you focus on his time and look past some others. Gemma is prevented from running with us this time by injury, but is acting as our tour manager and vibe coordinator.
Joe & Hannah - Joe is confident, we have confidence in Hannah!
Nathan & Lilly - sporty all rounders. Will breeze round course.
Carl Betteridge - family friend stepping up to the plate for Team Lowen and Ava
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