Halifax's Ben Moorhouse to walk Shibden Wall 50 times in one day to mark Baby Loss Awareness Week

In October 2018 Ben’s daughter Kallipateira was stillborn at 38 weeks of pregnancy in Calderdale, with Ben and his partner Gaynor Thompson experiencing a miscarriage in May 2019 at nine weeks of pregnancy. Kallipateira’s death was fully preventable.

Ben and Gaynor launched their own charity, The Kallipateira Moorhouse Foundation, to help save babies’ lives through research and support other parents who have experienced the death of a baby.

On May 23, 2020, Ben and Gaynor welcomed their rainbow baby boy Apollon in Manchester, who survived due to the love and specialist care from Professor Heazell and his team. The full pregnancy was a kept a secret from family and friends.

This summer Ben walked from the Tommy’s Research Centre at St Thomas’s Hospital in London to the Tommy’s Rainbow Clinic and Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre at St Mary’s Hospital in Manchester, a total of 180 miles non-stop in just 55 hours.

Ben has also recently been recognised by the Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councillor Donna Ludford, and awarded the special recognition award for his dedication and commitment to raising funds for the Tommy’s research team in Manchester by doing his London to Manchester walk.

On the final day of Baby Loss Awareness Week, on Saturday, October 15, Ben will walk the Shibden Wall 50 times.

Ben said: “Every day babies are stillborn that should be alive. These are preventable deaths, and no family should have to suffer this devastation and pain.

"Therefore, I will be putting my trainers back on for this event to speak out for all the babies and families.

"I will be representing all dads who have experienced the death of a baby. Dads grieve, hurt and cry. They shouldn’t have to live in the shadows as this is what society expects."

All the funds raised will go to Professor Heazell and his team to help save babies’ lives.

The charity will be lighting up Wainhouse Tower in pink and blue during Baby Loss Awareness week and will host a special service at Halifax Minster on Friday, October 14 at 7pm.

Ben will be announcing his 2023 extreme challenge in November and can be supported at www.justgiving.com/shibdenwall.