Miles for Mackenzie: Raising money after the loss of a baby

On February 12, my sister, Lauren, and her partner, Matt, lost their baby girl, Mackenzie Rose Earle, at full term, when she was born without a heartbeat. As they grappled with their devastating loss, I asked if I could raise money for a charity of their choice during my next running event.

Since the loss of Mackenzie, both Lauren and Matt have been supported by family, friends, and organisations, including Sands New Zealand. Sands is a network of parent-run, non-profit groups supporting families who have experienced the death of a baby. The registered charity, run by volunteers, helped connect Lauren and Matt with various organisations that assisted them in dealing with their grief and celebrating Mackenzie's life through precious photos (as shown in the photo above), foot and hand moulds, and prints.

On June 29, I'm taking part in the Krayzie Midwinter Backyard Ultra in Christchurch. The event requires competitors to run a 6.7km loop every hour. If they complete their lap in less than 60 minutes, they can use the remaining time to refuel and recover. However, they must begin the next loop at the start of the next hour - and keep repeating this until they can no longer continue. The race has no set end and finishes when only one person is left able to run.

Last year, I completed 13 loops (87km). This year, I hope to run more than 100km to raise as much money as I can for parents like Lauren and Matt.

Any donations, big or small, will be greatly appreciated.