Bereaved Halifax Dad to Take on Extreme Challenge in Ancient Stadium to Honour Stillborn Daughter and Help Save Babies’ Lives
A bereaved father from Halifax is preparing to take on an extraordinary endurance challenge in the height of the Greek summer to honour his stillborn daughter and raise vital funds for stillbirth research that saves babies’ lives.
On 19 July 2026, Ben Moorhouse (43) will walk 260 lengths of the track at the Ancient Stadium of Rhodes, built in the 3rd century BC, in temperatures that can exceed 35–40°C. The ancient stadium track is fully exposed, with no shade, and intense heat reflecting from the stone — conditions some have described as “like an oven”.
The challenge is dedicated to Ben and Gaynor Thompson’s daughter, Kallipateira Rodothea Moorhouse, who was stillborn on 26 October 2018 at 37 weeks of pregnancy, just two weeks before her due date. Her death was preventable.
Holding his daughter in his arms, Ben made her a promise — that he would honour her life, support other parents facing baby loss, and help save babies’ lives through research.
In May 2019, Ben and Gaynor also experienced a miscarriage at nine weeks. The impact of those losses remains profound.
“The devastation of losing Kallipateira has never left me,” Ben says. “The pain does not go away – you simply learn how to live alongside it.”
In May 2020, Ben and his partner welcomed their rainbow baby, Apollon Alexandros Moorhouse, born early at 35 weeks at Saint Mary’s Hospital, Manchester. Apollon received specialist care through Tommy’s Rainbow Clinic and the Maternal & Fetal Health Research Centre, under Professor Alexander Heazell.
“Quite simply, without that research being put into practice, Apollon would not be here today,” Ben says.
The 260 lengths at the Ancient Stadium are deliberately symbolic — relentless repetition, extreme heat, physical exhaustion, and mental endurance — mirroring both the ancient Olympic history of the site and the ongoing endurance required to live with grief after the death of a baby.
Overlooking the stadium stands the Temple of Apollon — a poignant connection, as Ben’s son Apollon is named after the Greek god.
This will not be Ben’s first extreme challenge on the island of Rhodes. In 2021, he became the only person to walk around the entire island of Rhodes nonstop, an extraordinary feat undertaken to raise awareness and funds for stillbirth research. He has also taken on other history-making extreme challenges on the island in honour of Kallipateira.
All funds raised from the 2026 Ancient Stadium of Rhodes Extreme Challenge will support Professor Alexander Heazell and his team in Manchester, helping to reduce the number of preventable stillbirths by turning research into real-world care and supporting families when they need it most.
Ben said:
“I would have given my life for Kallipateira to be okay. Now, I must be her voice. Every step I take in the ancient stadium is for Kallipateira, for Apollon, and for the families who should never have to experience this pain. Every baby deserves a chance at life. Kallipateira’s birthday is the 26th, so I wanted to add the zero and make the total lengths 260. I am proud to be taking on this extreme challenge in such a historic location, adding my own small piece of history in honour of Kallipateira’s legacy. I will make sure she did not die for nothing.”
Support the Challenge
Donations can be made via JustGiving:
www.justgiving.com/page/kmf2026
Every contribution helps fund research, improve care, and support families affected by stillbirth and baby loss.