Mar 23, 2025 - May 25, 2025

Emily’s 18th Birthday Challenge

Hey, thanks for visiting my page, for those of you who don’t know me here’s a wee bit about why you’re here… My name is Nicky and I’m a mum to Emily, Jack and Oliver. Sadly Emily died when she was 18 1/2 weeks old at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. Emily was born on 11th January 2007 with a rare giant exomphalus, her organs were on the outside of her little body (and this led to further complications). We knew early on that hers wouldn’t be a normal start to life but we didn’t know that on 23rd May 2007 we would be saying goodbye as she died peacefully in mine and her dad’s arms. For the past year I’ve been thinking of ways to celebrate her life on what would have been her 18th birthday. Fundraising was the easy option, giving back to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and Ronald Macdonald House both of which supported us through our time in hospital and in the days after Emily died. But what to do, I’m a middle aged unfit mum 🤔 I saw people out running and thought I could maybe do that.. I started looking into running events and saw that Liverpool had their race weekend on 23rd March, perfect City where she was born so I’ll do the half marathon but then Edinburgh have their race weekend on 25th May, her anniversary weekend and it’s not far from home, maybe I could do that instead OR maybe just maybe I could do both 🤓but then Jack and my nieces wanted to get involved and they’re too young for a half marathon so my brother suggested the Welsh 3 Peaks, all 3 in 24 hours, ok why not we can fit it in between half marathons 🤩 so Emily’s 18th Birthday Challenge was created. #E18BC Obviously I am not crazy enough to do all this on my own, if I was doing it I was going to rope others too, I mean they had all been with me and Emily on our journeys so it was the least they can do right? 🤪 so I’m being joined along the way by the best people (including many who have shared this link) from all corners of the UK. All monies raised will go towards 2 amazing charities in the hope that other parents will be planning parties, first holidays or cars for their child’s 18th and not how to honour their memory as they are no longer with them. Thanks for reading until the end and for any donation you are able to give, it means a lot, not just to me but the countless families that will benefit from the services. 🌈👼🏻🪽💕

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