Waterloo Athletic Welsh Three Peaks Challenge
Beschermde donatie
On Saturday 10th July*, the Waterloo Athletic football lads will be partaking in the Welsh Three Peaks Challenge to help raise funds for two charities very close to our hearts.
The challenge will see the boys attempt to climb Snowdon, Cadair Idris and Pen y Fan in 24 hours – with a total walking distance of over 27km!
Here’s a little bit about why we’re doing the walk…
Hudson’s Story
Ryan Pirrie joined the team last summer, just a few months after becoming a father for the first time.
Ryan’s wife Beth gave birth to Hudson Pirrie in March 2020, but their world came crashing down in August when their baby boy was rushed to Birmingham Children’s Hospital intensive care unit where he was later diagnosed dilated cardiomyopathy – a life-threatening condition that means Hudson’s heart is too weak to pump blood around his tiny body.
Hudson was placed on milrinone and oxygen and was fed by a tube when he was intensive care. He has since been able to come off oxygen and no longer needs the tube, but he has been unable to wean off milrinone because his heart function has not improved and he is on the urgent transplant list – a list that that has an average waiting time of around nine months.
In April 2021, Hudson was diagnosed with an extremely rare genetic syndrome (Alstrom Syndrome) that had caused his heart failure. The condition will sadly cause vision loss later in his childhood, and can even cause problems for his other organs. It's estimated that there are only 80 families in the entire UK affected by the syndrome.
Ryan & Beth have spent most of their time in recent months split between the hospital and the Ronald McDonald Charity House in Birmingham so that they can be close to their little boy – so this is one of the charities we have decided to raise money for.
Elliot’s Story
Joe Farrelly joined the squad in 2016, before taking the Captain’s armband late last year.
Just one year before joining the team, Joe became father to his first son Elliot, who after being born, spent three months in NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) at Queens Medical Centre after complications from gastroschisis. This resulted in a resection of 50% of both his large and small intestines in surgery.
Further complications led to Elliot having a twisted bowel, which was stopping blood supply to his remaining intestines. After already undergoing life-saving surgery, he had three more operations to save as much of his intestines that he had remaining, but ultimately had to have a further resection in both large and small intestines which took away the chance of being able to live a life free from Total Parental Nutrition.
Today, Elliot still requires TPN 13 hours a day to give him the nutrition he needs to survive. It is likely that Elliot will need a liver transplant in the future, but the medication he takes to prevent damage is working brilliantly for the time being.
Despite his earlier struggles, Elliot has grown to be an extremely intelligent, caring and kind boy who doesn’t let any of his medical needs affect him whatsoever. He is always happy and bright and loves to eat eggs and mash potatoes!
As a thank you for the life-saving support that was, and continues, to be given to Elliot – the second charity we’ll be raising money for is the Nottingham Hospitals Charity .
Any monies raised will be split 50/50 between these two fantastic causes, and we'll be hugely grateful for any donations.
*Date subject to change depending on the latest Government guidance.
The challenge will see the boys attempt to climb Snowdon, Cadair Idris and Pen y Fan in 24 hours – with a total walking distance of over 27km!
Here’s a little bit about why we’re doing the walk…
Hudson’s Story
Ryan Pirrie joined the team last summer, just a few months after becoming a father for the first time.
Ryan’s wife Beth gave birth to Hudson Pirrie in March 2020, but their world came crashing down in August when their baby boy was rushed to Birmingham Children’s Hospital intensive care unit where he was later diagnosed dilated cardiomyopathy – a life-threatening condition that means Hudson’s heart is too weak to pump blood around his tiny body.
Hudson was placed on milrinone and oxygen and was fed by a tube when he was intensive care. He has since been able to come off oxygen and no longer needs the tube, but he has been unable to wean off milrinone because his heart function has not improved and he is on the urgent transplant list – a list that that has an average waiting time of around nine months.
In April 2021, Hudson was diagnosed with an extremely rare genetic syndrome (Alstrom Syndrome) that had caused his heart failure. The condition will sadly cause vision loss later in his childhood, and can even cause problems for his other organs. It's estimated that there are only 80 families in the entire UK affected by the syndrome.
Ryan & Beth have spent most of their time in recent months split between the hospital and the Ronald McDonald Charity House in Birmingham so that they can be close to their little boy – so this is one of the charities we have decided to raise money for.
Elliot’s Story
Joe Farrelly joined the squad in 2016, before taking the Captain’s armband late last year.
Just one year before joining the team, Joe became father to his first son Elliot, who after being born, spent three months in NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) at Queens Medical Centre after complications from gastroschisis. This resulted in a resection of 50% of both his large and small intestines in surgery.
Further complications led to Elliot having a twisted bowel, which was stopping blood supply to his remaining intestines. After already undergoing life-saving surgery, he had three more operations to save as much of his intestines that he had remaining, but ultimately had to have a further resection in both large and small intestines which took away the chance of being able to live a life free from Total Parental Nutrition.
Today, Elliot still requires TPN 13 hours a day to give him the nutrition he needs to survive. It is likely that Elliot will need a liver transplant in the future, but the medication he takes to prevent damage is working brilliantly for the time being.
Despite his earlier struggles, Elliot has grown to be an extremely intelligent, caring and kind boy who doesn’t let any of his medical needs affect him whatsoever. He is always happy and bright and loves to eat eggs and mash potatoes!
As a thank you for the life-saving support that was, and continues, to be given to Elliot – the second charity we’ll be raising money for is the Nottingham Hospitals Charity .
Any monies raised will be split 50/50 between these two fantastic causes, and we'll be hugely grateful for any donations.
*Date subject to change depending on the latest Government guidance.
Medeorganisatoren (3)
Jake Green
Organisator
Joe Farrelly
Medeorganisator
Ryan Pirrie
Medeorganisator