Dad's 300-mile bus challenge to help support parents who experience the loss of a child

A MAN has set himself the challenge of travelling from Kent to Newcastle using only public bus services.

- By NICOLE GOODWIN

Daniel Graham will venture more than 300 miles in order to return to his eldest daughter's birthplace, the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI).

But there's a very special reason behind the journey as he's on a mission to raise funds for a charity named after his daughter, Willow.

She became Daniel and his wife Amneet's 'rainbow baby, having been born after the couple experienced the loss of a baby.

The excited expectant parents were attending an early private scan in Gosforth, Newcastle, when they received the heartbreaking news that their baby had no heartbeat. This was later confirmed at a scan at the RVI.

Daniel, 35, said: "I remember that day vividly. I felt lost and shocked. I didn't think it was real.

"Amneet was at eight weeks gestation and we'd been for a scan two weeks earlier because Amneet had had some pains and everything was fine. So we were really excited to be going for this next scan and I couldn't believe it when they said there was no heartbeat."

When the couple found out that they were expecting Willow in March 2018 they found it was the beginning of an anxious journey with little support. This prompted Amneet to set up Willow's Rainbow Box, a charity supporting parents who have experienced baby loss.

The charity provides boxes for expectant parents pregnant following a loss through miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death. The boxes include a journal, hope and support cards, craft activities to help support wellbeing, and information for baby loss charities.