East Sussex man prepares to run ten marathons in ten days in memory of daughter

Pete Grimwade, 34, said he will wear a 10kg vest on all the runs and is set to donate the money raised to ten charities.

Pete, who lives in Uckfield with his wife Charlotte, said the challenge represents the ten weeks their daughter Isabella lived.

He said: “It’s also a way for me to live my best life, in the best way possible, because Isabella couldn’t live her life.”

He said: “For me it’s a way to be able to live the best life for her.”

Pete set up a JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/pete-grimwade and is ‘overwhelmed’ it has raised more than £12,000. He thanked the donors, saying he wants to give back to the charities that supported him and his wife ‘before, during and after’ their daughter’s short life.

The couple found out during Charlotte’s pregnancy, at her 20-week scan, that their baby would have health issues. Pete said they found out at Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath that Isabella had an irregularity with her heart and were referred to Evelina London Children’s Hospital. They also found out Isabella had dextrocardia, where her heart was on the right side of her chest instead of the left.

Pete said: “Despite all that they were confident she’d live a very normal and healthy life.”

Isabella was born on July 23, 2023, but had several health concerns, including the heart condition AVSD (atrioventricular septal defect), scoliosis, a cleft lip and a deformed ear. She was transferred to the Trevor Mann Baby Unit at Brighton’s Royal Sussex County Hospital because she was having trouble breathing.

Pete said: “Two weeks prior to her passing away we got moved to The Evelina Hospital in London.” He said: “She was struggling to breathe a lot and eventually she was in heart failure.”

Doctors said Isabella needed pulmonary band surgery, because her heart was pumping too much blood to her lungs. This was a success and Pete said Isabella’s levels became ‘a lot more normal’. But the couple got a call at 1am on September 30, 2023, that said Isabella was in cardiac arrest. Medical professionals attempted to save her life but were unable to.

Pete said was in ‘complete shock’ and experienced ‘utter heartbreak’. He said: “It's a parent’s worst nightmare. You never really think your child’s ever going to die, let alone die in front of you.”

He is now determined to complete his challenge of finishing all his marathons in ten consecutive days. He said: “I’m looking forward to pushing myself in the best way possible.” Visit www.10mchallenge.co.uk.

Pete has been training since October, running about five times a week, and has been incrementally increasing the weight he carries. He said: “On top of that I’ve been seeking advice from friends and professionals for nutrition and recovery. I’m making sure I recover well because obviously that’s going to be a huge part of it.”

The full list of marathons is:

Lewes: Friday, April 18, for British Heart Foundation.

Brighton: Saturday, April 19, for Bliss.

Crawley: Sunday, April 20, for Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Haywards Heath: Monday, April 21, for 4Louis.

Tunbridge Wells: Tuesday, April 22, for The Early Birth Association.

Tonbridge: Wednesday, April 23, for Goldenhar UK.

Hastings: Thursday, April 24, for CLAPA.

Eastbourne: Friday, April 25, for Samaritans.

Seaford: Saturday, April 26, for Sands.

The London Marathon: Sunday, April 27, for The Evelina Hospital.