Novelist and TV presenter, Fern Britton is no stranger to a challenge and she's asking you to join her as she takes on one of her biggest challenges yet - to raise money for a charity which carries out vital medical research to improve the health of women and babies.
Fern, 57, will be cycling 57 miles a day from John O'Groats to Land’s End from 1 -21 May 2015 with over 80 participants cycling alongside her for the entire challenge. The TV star is hoping to raise at least £57,000 to fund research into the prevention of miscarriage in pregnancy.
As proud Patron of Genesis Research Trust, whose Chairman is Professor Robert Winston, Fern has taken part in cycling challenges all over the world. This one's much closer to home and no less daunting. Fern said; “I'm embarking on an epic adventure and I hope that we can encourage local communities and residents to join us for one day’s cycle, or provide their support on the cycle route or simply donate. Together we can make a difference and help discover why women miscarry so we can end the heartbreak and tragedy that so many families endure.”
It may not be widely known, but 1 in 4 pregnancies ends in miscarriage and what’s more, between 1 and 2% of couples in the UK may suffer more than once which can lead to severe psychological stress. Women who experience recurrent miscarriage are also at higher risk of a variety of complications in a subsequent ongoing pregnancy, including preterm delivery, pre-eclampsia and low birth weight babies.
Further research is required to understand the causes of miscarriage, to enable clinicians to predict which couples are more likely to suffer a miscarriage and to develop effective preventative treatments. We are getting closer to finding answers to why miscarriage happens.
You can now join Fern Britton for a day and help raise much needed funds to help end miscarriage!
