Running for the EPT

Huge thanks to both Esther and Steve Maclure who ran in the Beer Blazer 10k on 8th May. Esther said: What they call the ‘stairway to heaven’ during the race was the worst thing ever considering I am scared stiff of heights. We are very proud of her that they made it to the top even though her legs were like jelly!

Thank you so much to the lovely Helina who ran in the Manchester 1/2 Marathon just 6 days after the horrific atrocities that had taken place in Manchester (Manchester Arena attack). She ran her heart out raising fantastic funds and awareness.

Helina’s Story:

It was an amazing day, people were cheering the ambulance and police and shouting C’mon Manchester etc. The public that came out to cheer us on were amazing too. The whole day felt like we were all running in defiance against the atrocities and love for Manchester. I completed the 13.1 miles Manchester half marathon. It was an absolutely, very emotional, wonderful experience. Very tough but I finished in 1 hour and 50 minutes. The money raised has gone over the minimum target of £500.  Thank you and thanks again to everyone at The Ectopic Trust for all your love and support. I hope I can still help in what ever way possible.

Thank you so much to Laura Clarke who recently ran in the Royal Welsh 10k Trail Run festival. Despite her pre race nerves Laura did so well and actually ended up running 15k due to a “dodgy” route marker and the great thing is that she has really enjoyed the run and inspired others to get out as well. Laura made friends during the 10k trail run and it is great to see them finishing across the finish line together.

Sophie and Max were incredible in their fundraising and raising awareness for us at the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust which will hugely enable us to carry on supporting women, their families and the medical profession that look after them. Sophie and Max had a heart-breaking year dealing with losses both physically and emotionally and as ever with all our women, their partners and families are hearts went out to them and we are always here to support in whatever way we can.

Sophie and Max raised an an amazing £1,000 by taking part in what looked like a great 10k race encountering over 40 obstacles, they smashed it and came 52nd out of over 160 plus.

Sophie’s Story:

A few months after my surgery it hit me again that we lost another baby, I wanted for someone to tell me why but I knew that would never come. I trawled the internet for hours looking at endless research and studies but obviously didn’t much find much. Although I thank my surgeons everyday the aftercare was pretty much non existent – both physically and emotionally. Through all my internet exploring I found The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust. They gave me the answers about physical things that would happen to me after the surgery, I stopped worrying that every niggle or ache didn’t mean I was dying and in fact it was normal. Emotionally, it helped me to understand that it was okay not to be okay. And although it’s a small % of what I had experienced, I wasn’t the only one. I’d like to raise something to keep the Trust going. It certainly helped me and I hope it can for others too.

Lauren took part in a 10k run in Cardiff.  She was determined and desperate to raise awareness as she sadly suffered the trauma of an ectopic at such a young age, just after her 20th birthday. We thank Lauren for her bravery and honesty and for raising awareness and funds to ensure we are able to continue supporting women and their families.

I took part in the Cardiff 10K.  I completed it without any training and without stopping in 1 hour and 14 minutes. It was a struggle but I did it. I wanted to prove to myself that I am a strong person after everything I’ve been through. I suffered from an ectopic pregnancy last October having only just turned 20. I had no clue what it was. I ended up having to have emergency surgery and my left tube ruptured and I was told I was lucky to wake up after surgery with the amount of blood I was loosing. It was a struggle for me being so young too but I got through it with the help of my amazing family. I wanted to share my story and raise awareness more than anything and it’s amazing the response I’ve had. I’ve had girls messaging me wanting to know what it is, what’s the signs of it are etc. And to know I could be helping another lady is amazing. I have raised £130 and I’ll continue to raise money and awareness as much as I can.

Michaela and Conor both smashed their times in the Swindon Half Marathon. Conor joined in supporting Michaela on the day saying how brilliant it was even getting himself a PB despite the rain hammering down. Conor in supporting Michaela said how amazing she was and she absolutely smashed it and how so very proud of her he was. A sentiment we totally echo.    Michaela after experiencing her ectopic only 2 months previously had tirelessly raised awareness and funds by taking part in a radio interview with Heart Wiltshire, appearing in the local paper, creating a Instagram story and was even interviewed on the finish line. She ran the whole race and finished in an amazing time of 2 hours and 13 minutes.

Michaela’s Story

On 30th June 2017, I woke up feeling rubbish and under the weather. For the last five weeks, my period which started on time hadn’t stopped, I had been having problems with my digestion, and I had had worsening abdominal pains. As I was in the process of moving house, I put it all down to stress, and ignored any encouragement from my friend and my husband to see a doctor. I woke up on this particular day feeling nauseous, and I had a pain in my right side. I could point to the spot where it originated from, and it radiated down my right leg into my right knee. I had a day out planned with my sister and my grandfather which I had been looking forward to after completing the week-long move into our new house the day before, and I didn’t want to cancel. So off we went. As the day went on, I felt worse and worse and was desperate to go home to bed. My sister took me home, and as I climbed into bed I called NHS 111 to just run the symptoms past them, and find out whether I could just wait until I registered with my new GP. The call handler told me to go to Swindon’s Urgent Care Centre at GW Hospital within two hours. I texted my husband, told him where I was going, and told him I’d keep him posted. He got into a taxi and beat me to the hospital. During my triage assessment, the nurse asked me if I could be pregnant. I told him that I had been bleeding for five weeks, so there wasn’t a chance. He did the test anyway, called us back into his room and I saw the positive test on his desk before he could tell me what it said. My husband and I very quickly went through the excitement of being pregnant, to the worry that came with knowing that something was wrong. As we went back into the waiting room, I told him this wouldn’t end well. I was sent to the Early Pregnancy Unit in the hospital where I was scanned that evening. The Doctor could not see a pregnancy in my womb, and insisted that I was admitted overnight. I asked if I could go home instead, and come back when they wanted me, but he refused. I spent my first night ever in hospital, and then woke up the next morning to be scanned again by a different Doctor. Within seconds, she found a 3.5cm pregnancy growth in my right fallopian tube and I was taken straight into surgery for a Laparoscopic Salpingectomy (key-hole surgery to remove my right fallopian tube). I cannot fault the care that the GW Hospital gave me, but when I was discharged, I was given absolutely no information about how long I should expect my recovery to take, and what our future chances for a family looked like. I had a lot of questions, and no-one to ask. My parents had seen a poster for the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust in the waiting area at the hospital while I was in surgery, and when I got home they sent me the website. I went straight onto it, and very quickly found a whole wealth of information that answered the questions that I had. Anytime that I thought about another question, I went to the website and found the answer. The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust isn’t just a website of information. They provide a direct contact service for couples who are experiencing an ectopic pregnancy, through email, telephone and Skype. They also host online forums for families to communicate with other families who have had similar experiences. I have never ran a half marathon before, but I signed up for the New Swindon Half on the day that entries opened months ago. It is something I have wanted to do for a couple of years. When this happened, I was devastated at the thought that I might not be able to take part. I contacted the organisers of the event, explained my story, and asked if I could take part if I had to walk it. They were incredibly supportive, and told me that even if I had to walk the whole thing, I was welcome to take part. When I signed up for the event, I did so because I wanted the achievement of running 13.1 miles non-stop. Now, I want to take part for two different reasons. The first reason I am taking part is to use the opportunity to raise awareness of ectopic pregnancies, and the symptoms of them. I ignored all of the classic symptoms for so long, that by the time I got to hospital my life was in serious danger. I was lucky. Also, had I acknowledged the symptoms earlier, my right fallopian tube could possibly have been saved. The second reason I am taking part is to raise awareness of the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust and the support that they provide to families who have suffered the condition, and to raise money for them to be able to continue their incredible work.

Karen and Dave ran in the Wigan 10K wanting to raise awareness and money, which they most certainly did. Karen and Dave said they loved running with their t shirts on raising awareness. On the way round a lady that was also running came over to them and said well done for raising awareness as she had had an ectopic pregnancy and she didn’t know that such a thing as the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust existed which is so brilliant and just shows the power of awareness.

Karen and Dave’s Story:

We chose the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust as they helped me through the hard days when no one else could give me the answers to the questions I had and made me realise that I wasn’t alone and that the subject of ectopic pregnancy isn’t taboo. Both of us never thought this would happen to us when we fell pregnant back in 2011 but it did. After finding out I was pregnant and being poorly for a couple of weeks with a few miss diagnosis I finally found out I was having an ectopic pregnancy after a scan gave us confirmation. It was heart breaking to see that empty black scan picture. I quickly had to come to terms with the fact that I had lost the pregnancy and whilst I was being treated It ruptured when I was at home. This resulted in me collapsing. Dave quickly rang an ambulance and I was rushed to hospital where my levels dropped and I was rushed to theatre with life threatening internal bleeding.

Why now you’re asking after so long? Well the thing is it’s taken me this long to feel like I can do something like this, I’m at the fittest I’ve ever been since my operation and continued fertility battle to get our amazing Jake and for Dave well, he’s still battling with the day of the collapse and the realisation that he could have lost his wife only 3 months after being married and he’s just on the come down of having to be so strong for so long. So we both thought this was the right time.

Sarah was amazing, finishing her 20th marathon, this one being an off road one, the Daffodil Dawdle.

Sarah’s Story:

Prior to having my daughter Charlotte, just over 4 years ago I was a keen (but slow) marathon runner. I have done a few marathons on road, but my real love is off road marathons. These involve being given some instructions, usually starting from a village hall or similar, and then running around 26.2 miles through woodland and fields, over styles and along muddy footpaths. Being in the open countryside not only gives me a tough physical challenge, but really helps with my mental health too. I had put long distance running on hold to have my daughter 4 years ago and then for the last 2 years to try for another baby. 2 miscarriages and an ectopic pregnancy later, I decided just after New Year 2018 that I needed to get myself back out there doing something I love for my well-being and why not raise some money for a charity that I believe in while I’m at it! So that is what led me to yesterday, running around the Daffodil Dawdle, an off road marathon organised by the Long Distance Walkers Association (LDWA) on the Norfolk / Suffolk border. I hadn’t managed to do the amount of training I would have liked so I took it really slowly wanting to make sure I had some energy at the end. I got round what was my 20th marathon on a beautiful spring day so today I am feeling happy, although a little tired and that I have given a little back by raising a few pounds for the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust.

We wholeheartedly thank Claire for recently taking part in the Lincoln 10k overcoming injuries and adverse weather conditions along the way. She has not only fund raised but also raised invaluable awareness especially to the girls in the school where she teaches.

Claire’s Story:

So here is my story and the reason I did Lincoln 10k as a huge personal challenge to myself!! After lacing up my trainers for the first time at the end of October, I signed up to run the City of Lincoln 10k on March 18th 2018. The event was postponed due to snow! This was a huge challenge for me, my furthest run was 7km, training was hampered somewhat initially by a calf tear in the run up to the event in March and then as I upped my training in April I began to feel very unwell, eventually being diagnosed with an overactive thyroid for which I am receiving ongoing treatments. I did however know that I wanted to raise valuable funds and awareness for The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust. Back in 2009 my first pregnancy ended with the discovery of an ectopic pregnancy and resulted in emergency surgery to remove my Fallopian tube and our first baby. The advice and support from the website was invaluable in coming to terms with our loss and what the future would hold. In 2010 my second pregnancy also ended in hospital with a managed miscarriage.

Fortunately we were blessed with our rainbow in 2013 but not without trepidation in the early stages as we went through blood tests and early scans to determine the whereabouts of this pregnancy. I fully support The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust who tirelessly work to educate, inform and support women and families through this ordeal. I am super proud to have completed Lincoln 10k on July 2nd in the blazing sunshine!! I have raised over £350 and I know I have been able to educate and inform others who wouldn’t otherwise know of the condition. 1 in 80 pregnancies is ectopic #iam1in80 #ectopicsurvivor #rainbowbaby #thisgirlcan

We were so chuffed that Laura smashed the York 10k in 1 hour, 3 minutes and 23 seconds. Brilliant for her first run with no stops and 20+ degrees.

Laura’s Story

In December 2017 I was informed I had an ectopic pregnancy. I was given a drug to help “dissolve” the pregnancy. Unfortunately this failed to work, the tube had started to rupture, and I ended up with emergency surgery to remove the tube containing the pregnancy. When the ectopic was diagnosed, The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust provided the main reference for further information. Ectopic pregnancy is an area where much more research is needed. I’d like to help with a small contribution and also raise awareness of the “condition”. I’ve always enjoyed exercise but I’ve NEVER been a runner! The 10k is something I’ve loved the idea of, but never thought I had the ability.

We were delighted that Lisa completed the 10k Richmond Runfest at Kew. Lisa had turned to running to help her “get fit” and also process what had happened.

Lisa’s Story:

It has been exactly 2 years since I was admitted to West Middlesex Hospital with a ruptured ectopic pregnancy which resulted in emergency surgery and a blood transfusion having lost 2 litres of blood. This was my second ectopic pregnancy and, as such, we have been told that it is in mine and my families best interest that we do not have any more children. This pregnancy was meant to be our last child, but sadly this was not to be. Throughout this whole ordeal and from the very first ectopic pregnancy back in 2010, the one place I was able to gain information and support was from The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust. I had never even heard about this complication until I had experienced it first hand, so all the knowledge and support I could gain in the immediate days following was invaluable and went on to be so relevant in 2016 too. It affects 1 in 80 pregnancies in the UK so I thank God that I am still here to tell my story and to be wife to Paul and mother to my three gorgeous children. The loss of a wanted child and pregnancy is tough and there is no doubt that we will remember these dates forever. However, being able to give back to a charity that has helped me and my family is part of the healing.  I have to say it has become addictive and I certainly notice when I do not run! The 10k Richmond Runfest run went really well and I managed to do better than expected finishing in 1 hour 14 minutes. This has been part of a long journey for me and at 9k I cried with the relief that not only had I achieved something I never thought possible but I had also been able to do something in remembrance of my lost babies and the life I very nearly lost 2 years ago. It was an absolute honour to wear the vest and to raise money for The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust.

We are so grateful to Thea and Tom for running in the Bristol Half Marathon. They have said that running for the EPT has made the whole experience really special for them both and felt like a real achievement after what they had so recently been through in July. Thank you to them both for being fantastic in raising awareness and funds.

Jason and his wife Sam had been through a frightening time enduring the sadness of an ectopic pregnancy. Jason decided to push his limits by running a 10k, a half and full marathon in a month. He was keen to raise awareness and funds for us. We are so grateful to his heart wrenching and powerful account of their recent trauma, it is always helpful to hear from a man’s perspective.

Jason’s Story:

We have been trying for a baby for so long, it happened and then it all suddenly came crashing down. On the 31st of August 2018 my wife found out she was pregnant. So happy and overjoyed. Just two weeks later on the 10th of Sept she had to be rushed into hospital with extremely bad pains in her stomach not knowing what it was, panic mode set in. Staying overnight on the Monday as it was late and not much they could do. The Tuesday came and we were told a scan would tell us the problem. That scan had to be abandoned as it was too sore for Sam. Yet another day and night of not knowing what is actually wrong although being told it could be lots of different things. The Wednesday, the scan was going ahead, again. The pain was not as bad and the scan was carried out. A few moments later we got given the dreaded news that the baby was growing inside the tube and the tube so really swollen, ready to erupt. A few forms quickly signed and off they went, taking my wife in to surgery completely heartbroken and me left wondering if everything will be OK, if she would be OK. Fast-forward a few hours and Sam’s back in the room. Sore, groggy and upset, but she was back. The 12th of September, the day we were both left heartbroken.

I enjoy going out runs and had previously participated in a few half marathons and 10k’s. Having never before run for charity after finding the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust, seeing and feeling the effect this has on people, I decided to raise some money for this charity and share our experience. All runs were completed. I always feel great after them but knowing that I can help this charity who provides support is even better.

22/9/2018 – Hamilton 10k. Completed in 55 min 43 sec.

30/9/2018 – Great Scottish Run, Glasgow half marathon. Completed in 2 hours 21 mins.

20/10/2018 – Dramathon, full marathon. Completed in 6 hours 18 mins.

Emma ran the Inverness half marathon in honour of someone close to her who had sadly experienced an ectopic pregnancy. The weather certainly was not on Emma’s side making it a very tough and challenging race. With strong winds, sleet and rain! Despite this Emma ran it in a fantastic time of 2 hours 15 minutes and 26 seconds. We are so thankful to Emma for raising over £700 which is brilliant.

Fiona and her mum Alison ran the Glasgow Half Marathon, 2019.  Alison and Fiona have been driven to do this half marathon, dressed as unicorns, following their sister/daughter, Sarah and her partner Marc, who sadly experienced two ectopic pregnancies. Their support though such a traumatic time for Sarah and Marc was so vital to go some way in helping to process the ordeal of such a tragedy and so important to raise awareness of the symptoms of ectopics. They brilliantly managed to get their story and the reason why they were embarking on the half marathon in their local paper prior to Sunday’s Glasgow Half Marathon. Sadly on the day Alison suffered an injury just over the start line and had to pull out but Fiona battled on despite having issues with her ankles and wore the unicorn tube the whole way being a total superhero. Prior to the start they had already raised huge awareness for The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust as they were interviewed via a loud speaker at the start. They also had photo shoots with the main newspaper for Scotland and the bus company transporting baggage for runners. They said it was a fantastic atmosphere and fundraising for them went mad when Fiona posted a live video at mile 10 to her Facebook friends. They even received money from the general public on the bus on the way home. All this is so important for really reaching out and highlighting what an ectopic means to people who may never have heard of them and certainly goes towards helping to save a sister, daughter, wife, grand daughter, auntie in the future.

We were delighted and grateful that Nicole took part in the Great South Run. Nicole totally smashed it while being supported by her family. Nicole found out about us via another fundraiser and has since raised awareness and much appreciated funds. Nicole’s Story: I hadn’t heard of The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust. I was part of a Facebook group for runners and a lady on there put her just giving page on the group as she was raising money for the EPT. I just had to donate and message her even though I had no idea who she was. I had suffered an ectopic pregnancy around 9 years ago now and didn’t realise there were charities out there to help, give advise, comfort and guidance. I completed The Great South Run in aid of The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust and I couldn’t have been any more proud to be wearing my running vest. I had my name on my number so had lots of people shouting my name which means lots of people seeing the vest and really raising awareness. It was tough as it was quite warm but I did it and completed it in 1 hour 54 mins. It was the 30th Great South Run with a 90s theme and we had Jet from The Gladiators and Timmy Mallett start the race.

Cara completely smashed her fundraising target and did brilliantly in using training for the run as something to focus on after the sadness and shock of her ectopic.  Please do read Cara’s heartfelt story and why she ran and how the 5k was on the day. Cara’s Story: After several years of trying to conceive, and several miscarriages, in January 2019 we thought we had the good news we were waiting for. However our delight soon turned to trauma, shock and fear in a very short space of time. On the 30th of January, after feeling unwell for a couple of days thinking I had food poisoning, the most intense pain and nausea swept over me. I rapidly went downhill, not knowing I was in the middle of going through an ectopic pregnancy. Unknown to me, my Fallopian tube had ruptured, and I was bleeding internally. I was doubled over in pain, particularly in the shoulder – which I now know is a sign of internal bleeding. I knew things were bad when I began to lose consciousness. Thank goodness my husband called 999 for an ambulance. The team in the ambulance were great, looking after me initially, and rushing me to Lewisham Hospital for emergency surgery, where the staff were also amazing. The tube was removed the same night via open abdominal surgery, within hours of the symptoms worsening.  I woke the next morning to find I had a drain in my abdomen, and was told that I had required 2 blood transfusions due to the internal bleeding before and during the surgery. The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust have been invaluable, and provided excellent support, information and aftercare. I have spoken to several people and just discussing the experience and my thoughts and feelings with someone that has been through the same thing really helps with recovery and going forward. The mental scars last longer than the physical ones, and they are on hand to help anyone going through the same experience with expert support and advice. The weather thankfully held out on the day of the Big Fun Run and it even turned out nice which was great! 5k doesn’t sound like a long distance, but I’m not a runner, so it was long enough for me! Training in the weeks leading up to it gave me something to focus on. Immediately after surgery the thought of running even a small distance, never mind 5k, seemed impossible, so to get to this point feels like a milestone and a new line in the sand. I was humbled by the support and donations I received. I never expected to raise £1700. I thought £300 was a realistic target. I’m very happy to have been able to raise some funds for such an amazing charity. We’ll be forever grateful for everything the EPT did for us.

Kelly ran 31 miles during August. Her story is interesting as to the affect running had to her recovery. We would also like to congratulate Jack and Kelly on their recent marriage. Kelly has also written a heartfelt and very honest blog that is a definitely worth reading Kelly’s Story: Not only did I get married in lockdown but I also decided to give myself a running challenge to fundraise for The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust at the same time! all whilst there was a heat wave which meant I lost a week of running time as well. After suffering my ectopic pregnancy back in March, I went looking for further information on it as its something you never think will happen when you fall pregnant and I had so many questions and that’s when I found the EPT. Their website was full of useful information on recovery, how your fertility is affected and lots of inspiring stories from others who have been through the same thing. Also as part of my recovery I decided to get running and completed the Couch to 5K running app. Due to lockdown exercise options were limited and I found the endorphins from running really helped my mental health. Jack says I am always much happier on days that I run compared to days when I don’t. That’s when one day out running I decided to turn it into something positive and set myself a running challenge. I decided to run the equivalent of a mile a day (31 miles) for the month of August. I really enjoyed doing the challenge and it gave me a purpose to go out and run to raise awareness and funds. I enjoyed using social media to record my journey and even did some fun Tik Toks whilst I was out to get people paying attention and I raised over £500 before the month was up. I did my final run the day before we flew out to see my parents in Portugal. It was pouring with rain and ended up being my hardest run of the month but the feeling I got completing it was amazing. I hope no one ever has to go through the trauma of an ectopic pregnancy but I hope that by doing this and spreading awareness if anyone does that they will know of the EPT and the amazing work they do and the support they offer.

Isobel was amazing for persevering when the Manchester 1/2 Marathon was cancelled, running this was giving her the focus to keep going mentally and physically from a very recent ectopic pregnancy. Please read her powerful and heartfelt story where she shows real strength and determination. Isobel’s Story: After my ectopic pregnancy in March I promised myself to get healthier and, with the lockdown then being announced running seemed like the only thing that would help my mental and physical state. I had signed up to the half marathon before I found out I was pregnant and was going to give my space to someone else that I knew. However after I was treated for the ectopic, I was determined to do the half marathon for Ectopic Pregnancy Trust who had helped me in coming to terms with my ectopic. I got stronger and healthier as weeks went by-both mentally and physically but unfortunately, there was another set back and the half marathon was cancelled due to the pandemic. Great run Manchester gave us the option to get a refund or run the race and send in proof of this, so that’s what I decided to do. Running without a crowd or other runners was definitely the most difficult part of the run, usually this motivates you to keep going. My friends and family stood at different parts of my run and supported me by bringing a drink and food for when I’d finished the 21.1KM which was definitely a huge help. My target was £100 and in the end I managed to raise £399 which I was completely blown away by. I had never imagined to go above and beyond the target but once I’d told my story through my just giving page and shared it via my social media, friends and family were so supportive and the donations started rolling in. I’ve been contacted by different women who have experienced the same as me and shared stories and advice. The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust has helped me in ways I didn’t even think was possible and I’m glad that I was able to give back to them by raising money and also raising awareness.

Samantha ran 80k during January 2021. This really was a hard challenge for Samantha as she only started running last summer and currently averages 7km a week. In January she will have to run 20k each week! (We officially run this challenge during August each year but fundraisers are always welcome to choose a month that suits them) Samantha bravely and honestly shared her story, we know how hard this is to do as it forces people to relive their ordeal and we know how nervous Samantha was about doing exactly this by sharing her pain and story. Having very sadly experienced two traumatic ectopic pregnancies and them being the “scariest thing she’d ever been through”, Samantha decided that she wanted to raise awareness and highlight the symptoms and emotions surrounding an ectopic pregnancy. She is one of the 1 in 80 so this led her to setting herself the challenge to run 80 in 1. Samantha says that she is blown away by the support she’s received! and that this support really spurred her on.

Ellie who has decided to run a mile a day through February 2021. Ellie had very recently experienced the trauma of an ectopic pregnancy and says she found great comfort and information through our website and reading other people’s stories meant she was able to relate to others which made her feel that although it’s a huge and scary thing it is ok. Ellie set herself this challenge and is passionate about raising awareness about ectopic pregnancies. Ellie’s Story: After a long month of hospital appointments and several tests and scans, I was finally given the answer in December. An ectopic pregnancy. Something I didn’t really know much about until experiencing it myself. Thank goodness for the extensive information available on the ectopic trust website, I could tell the signs and got myself to A & E. I had read several other stories on the website of how people were doing their bit for fundraising and decided to look more into it. This was something I’d never done before and the thought of opening up to so many about my story did scare me. I soon realised that opening up and raising awareness is a good thing and could help many others who like me, don’t know much about the life threatening condition until in the situation. This motivated me to make contact with the charity and start my fundraising journey. I set myself a challenge to run 1 mile everyday in the month of February. I wanted to get started as soon as I could to make a positive out of a very negative situation. This is the outlook I now have, and although this has been a very hard time, it’s rewarding for a good thing to come out of it. I am so glad to be able to give something back to a charity that’s helped me in so many ways and is now very close to my heart.

Rebecca found a new love of running to help her physically and emotionally start to come to terms with her terrible loss.   Rebecca ran 5k every day in February, we are so impressed and grateful with her achievement raising an amazing amount and spreading incredible awareness, by also appearing in her local newspaper. Rebecca and Matthew had been through a long and hard journey dealing with early pregnancy complications. Rebecca had recently listened to her body and fought for her scan as she knew something wasn’t right. Please do read their heartfelt story which they have very bravely shared in their local paper, the Liverpool Echo

We are so grateful for the continued support from Danny and Louise who over the last few years have passionately raised funds and awareness for the EPT.  Danny and Louise previously fundraised by walking the total length of Loch Ness.  This time Danny has taken part and run the Chelmsford half marathon.  Please read Danny’s heartfelt story and how it has led them to continue to support the charity.

 

If you are inspired by our incredible runners and would like to raise funds and awareness for The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust, please visit our fundraising page. or email our fundraising co ordinator Jill@ectopic.org.uk