A group of dads and I from Ty Hafan will set off to climb 5 mountains in less than 55 hours. Starting on Thursday afternoon we'll set off up Ben Nevis in Scotland followed by, Scafell Pike in England, then Snowdon, Cadair Idris and finally Pen-y-Fan to complete a combined British and Welsh 3 peaks.

Just over 6-years ago my son, Felix, was born with a life-limiting condition called Lissencephaly Miller-Dieker.

Only a few months after I held my son for the first time we were given his diagnosis and told that he would never walk, talk and most children with this condition won’t see past infancy.

I was completely broken. As a parent, you'd do anything to protect your child, yet here I was, less than 3 months in, facing a situation that would strip my child away from me and there was nothing I could do about it. I felt like I'd failed my family and worst of all, my son.

The following weeks, months and years, were a painful, dark time as Alex and I, tried to come to terms with the new life we were facing. The aspirations of seeing my son graduate from university, get married or watch him get to play for his country, had been snatched away from us, and instead, we were facing a very different future. 

It was at this point we were introduced to Ty Hafan.

I'll admit, that despite having raised funds for them before that time, I was still a little unsure about what they do. My initial thoughts were consumed by bleak images of sick children, living out their final days. 

Ty Hafan is anything but bleak. 

The energy, vibrancy and friendly atmosphere make it a place you enjoy going to and being around other families in similar a situation, helps remove any stigma around what you're dealing with, which is vital early on. 

I've always said that the hardest thing about being a Ty Hafan family is accepting that you're a Ty Hafan family, i.e. your son or daughter has a life-limiting condition that means they're unlikely to live beyond 18 years of age. 

The help and support they've provided my family over the years have been invaluable to us. From respite care, to providing a place to be able to chat with other families in the same position, their support has helped us over the years, and this is my way of saying thank you. 

Ben Nevis(Scotland) - 1345m, Scaffell Pike(England) - 978m, Snowdon - 1085m, Cader Idris - 893m and Pen-y-Fan - 886m.

A total of 5,187 metres climbed, and over 36 miles walked in under 55 hours start to finish. 

It costs 12k a day to run Ty Hafan, and our aim as a group is to cover at least one day of operating costs. To help support us, simply text DADS01£10 to 70070 (note that you can put whatever amount you like after the £ if you'd like to donate more or less)
or by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/dan5in55

If for no other reason, donate because one day you might find yourself or a loved one in the same situation.

Thank you for taking the time to read my page and any donations are gratefully received.

Dan + Felix

#5in55 #dadsmatter