kerri hall

Why am I doing this challenge?

On 4th July 2014, at 40 weeks pregnant, our world changed forever. Our beautiful baby boy, Ellis James Colin Hall, died in utero.

The following day, on 5th July, I gave birth to him.

Nothing prepares you for hearing that your baby has died. Nothing prepares you for labour when you know you won't be taking your baby home. The days that followed were a blur of heartbreak, shock and trying to understand something that never truly made sense.

Even now, we don't have a definite answer as to why we lost Ellis. One possible explanation was undiagnosed gestational diabetes, but there are still unanswered questions. Like so many bereaved parents, we were left searching for reasons while learning to live with an unimaginable loss.

During that time, Sands became a lifeline.

When you're grieving, even the simplest things can feel overwhelming. Sands provided clear, easy-to-understand information that helped us navigate those first devastating days. They helped us understand what to expect and reassured us that we weren't alone. Their online support groups connected us with other parents who truly understood our experience in a way that family and friends, however loving and supportive, simply couldn't.

Grief doesn't disappear. It changes, softens and becomes part of who you are, but it never truly leaves you.

This September, I will be running 50 kilometres to raise money for Sands in memory of Ellis.

Fifty kilometres will be physically challenging, but that challenge is nothing compared with the journey that bereaved parents face every single day.

I'm doing this for my son.

I'm doing it to honour the short life of a little boy who will always be part of our family.

And I'm doing it because every family facing the loss of a baby deserves the same support that helped us during our darkest days.

If you'd like to support my challenge, I'd be incredibly grateful. Every donation, no matter how small, will help Sands continue their vital work, providing support, information and a community for families experiencing the unimaginable.

Ellis will always be remembered, always be loved and always be missed.

This run is for him.