Help please!! So I’ve dusted off my running shoes and on Sunday 3rd November I will be running a cross country 10km run (with hope to build to another half marathon soon!) to raise funds for a very special little baby, Rico.

Rico is the son of my dear friends, Moira and Alex and was born just 5 days after my own son, Gabriel.

At 38 weeks pregnant Rico’s mum, Moira noticed that Rico’s movements had slowed from his normal pattern. Concerned, she went directly to the hospital to have him checked. Rico was born almost immediately via an emergency C-section, but tragically he was in very poor condition and had suffered severe brain damage due to Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE).

The prognosis at the time was devastating, and his family faced the unimaginable decision to withdraw his care. Yet, Rico had other plans. He defied the odds, held on, and showed his incredible strength and determination. Which he has in buckets today.

Rico is now 14 months old and continues to surprise and delight us all with his resilience and absolute brilliance.However, the full impact of his HIE is still uncertain. For children like Rico, this is often referred to as a “wait and see” diagnosis, where the long-term effects become clearer as they grow. The good news is, research is showing there is much that can be done early on to support his development and give him the best possible chance to enjoy and experience life with the most joy and ease possible.

His amazing parents, Moira and Alex, alongside his big brother Rafa, have been tirelessly researching and self-funding additional therapies and treatments that are not readily available through the NHS. While the NHS provides invaluable care, currently it is too stretched and quite honestly too broken to truly offer everything that Rico needs right now.

Early interventions in the first two years of life have been shown to significantly improve outcomes for children with HIE, making this support crucial.

That’s why I’m running —to help raise money for Rico’s ongoing physiotherapy, private appointments, and essential therapies that could make a world of difference in his life.

So please help us and donate whatever you can and share this page far and wide. Together, we can help give Rico and his family the support they need to access the many brilliant potentially life changing therapies they can. Giving Rico the best start and opportunity to experience life as fully and comfortably as possible.

Thank you so, so much for your time and generosity.

Much love.

Lucy (and my dusty trainers!)

xxx