Bereaved dad from Halifax completes 110-mile extreme challenge in honour of stillborn daughter

Ben, 41, walked 110 miles non-stop from Wainhouse Tower in Halifax to Blackpool Tower, then to St Mary’s Hospital in Manchester.

Ben started the extreme challenge walk on Saturday morning at 6.30am and was later joined by Professor Alexander Heazell at the 79-mile point of Preston and Mark Dilworth from Bolton.

The team arrived at St Mary’s hospital in Manchester at 5.15pm on Sunday.

Ben was supported on the extreme challenge walk all the way by his partner Gaynor Thompson. In October 2018, Ben’s daughter Kallipateira was stillborn at 38 weeks of pregnancy in Calderdale and the couple then experienced a miscarriage in May 2019 at nine weeks of pregnancy. Kallipateira’s death was fully preventable.

During the lockdown of May 2020 Ben and partner Gaynor had their rainbow baby – a little boy Apollon.

During the pregnancy they were cared for by Professor Alex Heazell and the Manchester Rainbow Clinic at St Mary’s Hospital.

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

To help save babies’ lives nationally in the UK Professor Heazell and his team are now the main beneficiary of The Kallipateira Moorhouse Foundation, who support the Manchester Rainbow Clinic and Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre.

Ben said: “For the last seven months I have prepared to be ready for this extreme challenge walk and also next month’s dangerous extreme challenge in Rhodes.

"I am very proud that I conquered some personal challenges that I set myself. On the Saturday at one point, I was walking six miles per hour but had to slow down coming into the night as Gaynor’s safety was also important as my support team to ensure they could get a little rest at certain points.

"When I arrived in Blackpool at 10.45pm I was jubilant as I had achieved this in such a fantastic time.

"Sleep deprivation was again the biggest hurdle I had to face but with the support of Alex and Mark it certainly made a big difference.

"Preparations are now underway for August 17 in Rhodes where I will take on Tsambika Monastery and its 300 steps a total of 100 times in one day at the height of summer.”

A £10,000 target was set for both extreme challenges and so far £3,070 has been raised.

Ben can be supported at www.justgiving.com/page/kmf2024.