Leo’s Pride team set to take on mammoth challenge in aid of Highland-based baby loss charity
A little boy who left a big impression on the hearts of many will be the driving force for a group of 17 people taking on The Great Glencoe Challenge this weekend.
Leo Flett passed away at the age of four in July 2019 after courageously battling an extremely rare form of muscular dystrophy.
The youngster is remembered for his character, sheer love of life and smiles in the face of adversity, particularly during difficult spells of treatment in hospital.
Parents Louise and Mitchell Flett have raised over £100,000 for the charity Muscular Dystrophy UK (MD UK) and MFR Cash for Kids, before and after Leo’s death.
Now they are trekking 26.2 miles from the heart of Glencoe to the foot of Ben Nevis to raise funds for Held In Our Hearts - a charity that supports parents who have lost a child.
When the family lost Leo, there was little support for them in the Highlands.
Now Held In Our Hearts has a base here, they are passionate about ensuring others who find themselves in the same situation will have the level of support they wish they had.
Speaking about their reason for fundraising for Held In Our Hearts, Louise said: “We’ve previously fundraised for MD UK and MFR Cash for kids.
“We wanted to choose somewhere that we could relate to as a family and charity that provides support to others.
“Before I thought Held In Our Hearts was a baby-loss charity, but I then realised they support parents who have lost a child up to the age of five years old.
“They would have been an invaluable resource to us as there was nothing up here when Leo passed away. Alongside having to deal with immense grief, we also had to navigate our way to find our own support. There is such a lack of support for people who have lost a child in the Highlands.
“Held In Our Hearts is invaluable here. They offer newly bereaved parents 18 months of counselling through the charity.
“Since Leo passed away, we know so many parents who have lost their child and we’ve just had to tell them there is not much support. It’s good to know there is something in the Highlands now and we want to support it as much as we can.”
All the money raised from the challenge will stay directly in the Highlands, supporting peer support and counselling services provided by Held In Our Hearts.
So far the fundraising total is at just over £4000. If you wish to support the challenge, click here.