On Sunday the 7th of May 2023, a group of Ty Hafan Mums will be taking on the Welsh 3 Peaks in aid of the children's hospice.Each of the Mums have their own very special reasons for taking part in the challenge, these stories can be found on their individual pages.Collectively as a team they hope to raise vital funds for the hospice whilst also raising awareness and redefining perceptions of palliative care and the experiences of those living with a life-limiting prognosis.

My Story:

Hi I’m Alex living in Llantwit Major and mum to Felix (10), Lottie (8) and Maggie (2) and wife to Dan!

On Monday, 10th September 2012, we left the children's hospital in Llandough in shock. Our whole world had been turned upside down. We'd just received the news that our 13-week-old son, Felix, had been born with a rare neurological condition called lissencephaly miller-dieker. 

Our hopes and dreams for our son were robbed from us as we were given a bleak prognosis. Our firstborn, the new addition to our life that we had become infatuated with, would never be able to walk or talk and was unlikely to live beyond infancy. 

The next few weeks were a blur as we tried to balance being new parents with coming to terms with our new reality. We grieved for the little boy we thought we would have and wanted to prepare ourselves for the challenges our beautiful little boy would face.

It was around this time that we were introduced to Ty Hafan. We, like most people, were a little naive to what Ty Hafan did. A children's hospice sounds scary. If we're honest, we didn't want to go there at the time. In our minds, it would be a dark, sad place where children went to finish their lives. 

How wrong we were. Ty Hafan is a place full of warmth and love. A place that celebrates the extraordinary children who go there and a sanctuary for the families. 

The care they give Felix is incredible. It allows us as a family to truly relax, knowing he is in the safest and most caring hands. They offer so much more than caring for the children there. 

There's "Supersibs", a group for siblings to support, bond, and discuss their unique perspectives. The most beautiful tranquil sensory gardens, complementary therapies, allowing Felix to try new experiences. There are also counselling sessions, practical advice, help, and respite care for the parents. 

The list is endless, as I've seen and experienced over the many years. Being in Ty Hafan for us is having a sense of belonging where there is an unspoken bond. For families like ours, this is priceless.

They have become a lifeline for us. They are a part of this journey we are on and always will be, even after the inevitable happens. We honestly couldn't do this without them. 

To thank them for their help, a group of Ty Hafan mums and I are taking on the three Welsh Peaks on 7th May! Some of us have children with life-limiting conditions, and others have had children that have sadly passed away. Despite the different ages and physical abilities, we all have one thing in common; We want to give back to Ty Hafan for the support they give us.

So I'm taking on this challenge to raise as much money as possible to enable Ty Hafan to be able to continue to support families like mine ❤️