The Capella Foundation launches first 24 hour fundraising event to support pregnancy complications research

A new charity aiming to help raise awareness of medical complications during pregnancy has announced a major sporting sponsorship challenge.

The Capella Foundation launched in January 2013 and is dedicated to raising money to fund medical research and provide a support networks.

The charity was founded by a husband and wife team Mathew and Lucy Britton from Westbury-on-trym. During a pregnancy scan, they discovered the identical twins they were expecting were suffering twin to twin transfusion syndrome. This pregnancy complication occurs when the blood flow to each of the babies becomes problematic due to the sharing of the same placenta.

In a bid to save both babies, Lucy underwent pioneering corrective laser surgery at St Michaels in Bristol. Sadly for them, one of the twins passed away. But with close monitoring by medical specialists from both St Michaels and Southmead, their daughter Freja Charlotte was born.

In memory of the baby they had lost, the foundation was given the name already picked out for the twin.

Capella, with the meaning third brightest star in the northern hemisphere, and also itself a twin star was perfect.

“When a problem is detected during pregnancy, the medical support available in the UK is second to none,” Lucy says.

“With a team of specialist doctors and nurses at the nation’s disposal in the UK, it is amazing to know you are in good hands.

“An area we want to focus our efforts on is the support available to parents. We want to help ensure that at point of diagnosis and throughout treatment, parents are given open access to the support networks already available, as it was these people that kept us going throughout those tough months.”

To fund those support networks, The Capella Foundation has launched a 24-in-24 sponsorship challenge and is inviting the public to get involved.

A total of 24 exercises are to be completed during an hour, one after the other, for a 24 hour period.

Anyone may take part, and from a full programme of events, there is something for everyone and every ability.

Those taking part are asked to bring along a voluntary donation for each event they would like to take part in.

Mathew Britton says: “We wanted to create a challenge that would exhaust us physically and mentally. As a husband watching your wife go through one of the most extreme tests their body will ever be put through during pregnancy, you feel pretty helpless. This was especially the case due to the complications, with Lucy having to undergo laser surgery. So I wanted to recreate some element of this and push myself, and friends, to the limit and raise some much needed money and awareness whilst doing so. We are extremely grateful for all the support we have received and hope this will be the first of many successful events we run for the Foundation.”

David Lloyd will be hosting a BBQ and drinks event to celebrate the completion.

The event is taking place on Saturday 18 May 2013, starting at 13:00pm in Canford Park, Westbury-on-Trym and lasting until 13:00pm on Sunday 19 May.

For more information, visit: www.thecapellafoundation.com