Woman to run ultramarathon in memory of baby son

A woman who found out when she was 29 weeks pregnant one of her twins would not survive is running an ultramarathon to raise funds for the "incredible" hospital team that supported the family.

Andrea McCartney had to consider terminating her son Kit during the third trimester, but decided for the safety of her other baby to carry both to full-term.

She gave birth by Caesarean section to him and her daughter Minnie, although Kit died soon afterwards.

Eighteen months after his death, she is to run 106km (65 miles) around the Isle of Wight to raise money for the bereavement suite at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

Kit was born with a rare chest condition.

"He only lived for two hours," Mrs McCartney said. "He was alive for two hours and they took us into this separate room and then we took him to meet Minnie."

Minnie was in hospital for two weeks "fighting for her life", her mum said, because she also had breathing problems.

The couple were able to have precious time with Kit after his death, but said they were constantly questioning their emotions.

"It was just so hard, because we had this happiness of Minnie, but then this horrendous sadness," Mrs McCartney said.

Her husband Bill added: "You're constantly telling yourself off for either feeling too sad or too happy - you can't win."

Now Mrs McCartney is preparing for her marathon challenge and training daily in Worcester with friend Ruth Busby.

"I just really wanted to do something that really pushes me and something that is hard," she explained.

"I just wanted to do it for Kit really. Kit will never be able to do anything like this. That's why I want to do it for him."

She said the family spent the best part of two weeks in the bereavement suite and it made sense to focus fundraising on that unit.

"It's still in the hospital, but you feel away from the hospital and it's more private, and obviously you don't hear babies," she said.

Her husband added: "There were spells there in the early hours and days where you genuinely couldn't see any light at all and just didn't know where to turn with how you felt.

"What they managed to do in helping us to just begin to start, was incredible."

He added the couple wanted to thank the staff based there "that made it bearable for us - it was a horrendous time, but it helped to make it bearable".

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