'Running in memory of my beautiful baby who never got the chance' - Rugby mum's marathon challenge

A Rugby mum who lost her first baby is bringing comfort to other grieving parents.

Ceri Amphlett, 37, is running the London Landmarks Half Marathon in April in memory of her son Rufus.

She said: "I’m running for our charity, Remember Rufus, which we set up in memory of our beautiful first born son Rufus.”

Ceri and partner Billy lost their child a week before his due date in October 2020 due to preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome and a placenta abruption.

Together they started Remember Rufus to offer comfort and care to other bereaved families, primarily through donating CuddleCots, prams and equipment to NHS Trusts across the UK. More recently, the couple have been helping to raise funds for maternity bereavement suites.

Ceri said: “We were fortunate enough to spend six days with Rufus to make memories and say the hardest goodbye in the way that was right for us and we wanted to make sure other parent's were offered the same opportunity.

"We have so far raised over £70,000 and supported 31 hospitals including UHCW, George Eliot and Warwick as well as Rugby Community Nursing Team.

"We are currently fundraising for the bereavement suite project at UHCW which we hope will allow families to be shielded from the hustle and bustle of the maternity ward whilst they grieve the loss of their precious baby.”

“The London Landmarks Half Marathon is particularly special to the parents as it supports Tommys, a charity which helped us to bring two healthy babies home.”

The couple, who have two young sons, said they miss Rufus every day.

Ceri added: “But his little brothers have helped to bring some colour back to our lives and we are so grateful to Tommys for their support.

"I have never run before and so this is a huge challenge for me and one I never thought I could achieve, but I am taking strength from Rufus and other families like ours who have a missing piece.”

The mum said families affected by baby loss deserve to have access to compassionate care.

She added: “That keeps my tired legs moving. The charity is our way of parenting Rufus and making sure he is included in our lives; it gives us the opportunity to tell everyone about him and my training runs, brutal as they are, provide me with some time on my own to remember him and wonder who he would have been.”

Ceri hopes to raise £2,000 from the run. For more on her challenge, which takes place on April 7, visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ceriamphlett1 Find out more about her charity at www.rememberrufus.org

A bit about the London Landmarks Half Marathon

Sunday, April 7 – starting just off Trafalgar Square and ending near horse guards parade

Over 18,000 runners expected

Will include up to 25 wheelchair participants following their introduction to the race in 2023

£9m fundraising target for 2024 - Raised over £39m for charity since it started

Over 500 charity partners – including British Heart Foundation and Great Ormond Street, alongside smaller independent charities

Only central London half marathon taking in the city and all of the capital’s landmarks

It is the 7th edition of the race