A Staffordshire dad is taking on a 280-mile cycling challenge in memory of his daughter, Mia, while raising money for UHNM Charity to help other families facing the loss of a child.
Chris Holland will set off on 1 August, cycling from Westport Lake in Stoke-on-Trent to Ilfracombe Harbour in Devon, one of Mia’s favourite family holiday destinations. The challenge follows a fundraising event at The Jolly Carter in Burslem on 19 July, with all money raised supporting the Sudden Unexpected Death in Infants and Children (SUDIC) service at University Hospitals of North Midlands.
Chris’s daughter, Mia, passed away on 7 April last year at the age of 13. Following her death, Chris and his family were supported by the hospital’s SUDIC team, including Specialist Nurse Becky, who provided emotional and practical support during one of the most difficult times in their lives.
Chris said:
“On the 7th of April last year, my 13-year-old daughter Mia passed away. We wanted to do something in her memory and in her honour.
“We received an awful lot of support from the hospital at the time and we’d like to help support Becky and the department, while raising money for other families that have to go through what we went through.
“It’s the hardest thing our family has ever gone through. As a parent, you never expect to lose a child, especially a 13-year-old child.”
Chris explained that the support his family received extended far beyond what they expected.
“The support we got from people we didn’t even know existed was absolutely phenomenal. Becky gave us emotional support, practical support and helped with things we hadn’t even thought about.
“She took Mia’s fingerprints, made a cast of her hand and gave us keepsakes that we will treasure forever. At the time you don’t fully appreciate them, but later you realise they’re things you can never replace.”
It was only after speaking with Becky that Chris discovered many of the keepsakes and services provided to bereaved families are funded through charitable donations rather than the NHS.
“I didn’t realise that none of it is funded by the NHS. It’s all through charitable donations and UHNM Charity. Knowing how important that support and those keepsakes were for us, it felt right to help make sure other families can receive the same care.
“When Becky told me nobody had ever raised money specifically for the department before, it made us even more determined that this was the right cause to support.”
Chris hopes both the charity event and his 280-mile cycle will honour Mia’s memory while helping other families receive the same compassionate support his family experienced.
Every pound raised will help UHNM Charity fund equipment, projects and services that go above and beyond NHS provision, including support for bereaved families cared for by the SUDIC team.
