A bereaved dad took part in a gruelling 24-hour run in memory of his baby son who died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) last year. Tom Mahood was joined by Scott Robinson to take part in Run Sandringham 24-Hour Race in order raise money in memory his son, and Scott’s nephew, Rory. The event saw the duo having to take turns in running laps around the royal estate for 24 hours.
They aimed to raise more than £2,000 for the charity Rory’s Hope, which raises funds to carry out research into SIDS. Tom said: "We want Rory’s life to be important, and his death to be important too. "We want to ensure that SIDS is not something parents must simply accept.
"There must be an answer out there." Tom Mahood and Scott Robinson from Norwich will be taking on the Run Sandringham 24-Hour Race (Image: Submitted) The family is now strongly committed to preventing SIDS and believes passionately that an answer can be found. The dedication has led them to Dr Carmel Harrington's work at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead in Sydney.
Dr Harrington, who has personally experienced an infant loss to SIDS, identified Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) as a potential biochemical marker for SIDS. The study revealed lower BChE levels in babies who later succumbed to SIDS, offering a possibility for early detection. Rory's Hope seeks to raise necessary funds to advance this critical research, working with Dr Harrington and numerous global organisations.
The long-term aim is to create a test to identi.