26 FOR KALLIPATEIRA: Bereaved Halifax Dad to Take on Two Extreme Challenges in October
A bereaved father from Halifax is preparing to take on two extreme challenges this October — one during Baby Loss Awareness Week and the second on what will be his daughter Kallipateira’s 8th birthday.
Ben Moorhouse will take on the extreme challenges to raise funds for stillbirth research and in honour of his daughter Kallipateira, who died at 37 weeks of pregnancy in October 2018.
October is the most difficult month of the year for Ben and his family, filled with dates they will never forget.
On 24 October 2018, Ben and his partner Gaynor were told that their beautiful daughter Kallipateira had died. Two days later, on 26 October, Kallipateira was born.
The family later experienced another devastating loss when they suffered a miscarriage at nine weeks of pregnancy in May 2019.
In May 2020, their son Apollon was born at 35 weeks at Saint Mary’s Hospital in Manchester following specialist care. His arrival brought hope to a family that had experienced profound loss.
The experiences of Kallipateira and Apollon became the driving force behind Ben’s determination to support stillbirth research and raise awareness of baby loss.
Through The Kallipateira Moorhouse Foundation, Ben has continued to support research and awareness aimed at helping reduce stillbirth and improve outcomes for families.
Two Extreme Challenges
In July 2026, Ben completed another extreme challenge at the Ancient Stadium of Rhodes, completing 260 lengths of the central track in 11½ hours in the extreme Greek heat and humidity.
Now he is preparing to take on two further challenges in October.
Saturday 10 October — Baby Loss Awareness Week Challenge
Starting at 3am, Ben will take on:
- Shibden Wall 26 times
- Trooper Lane 26 times
- A 30-mile walk from Halifax to Saint Mary’s Hospital in Manchester
The challenge is for every single parent who has experienced baby loss, and in remembrance of their babies.
Monday 26 October — Kallipateira’s 8th Birthday
On Kallipateira’s 8th birthday, Ben will take on an extreme challenge in Rhodes, Greece:
- 26 times up the Prophet Elias Monastery Mountain Road in Faliraki
- An 8-mile walk to Tsambika Monastery — 8 miles for Kallipateira’s 8th birthday
- At Tsambika Monastery, 300 steps, 26 times
Tsambika Monastery is traditionally associated with prayers for fertility and the gift of a child. It is also a deeply personal place for Ben and Gaynor, who prayed there for their son Apollon in the summer of 2019.
Together, the two challenges aim to raise £2,626 for stillbirth research.
Supporting Stillbirth Research
Ben’s fundraising supports stillbirth research, including the work of Professor Alexander Heazell and his team at the Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre at Saint Mary’s Hospital in Manchester.
Ben said:
“October is the most difficult month of the year for our family, with dates we will never forget. On 24 October, we were told that Kallipateira had died, and 26 October is her 8th birthday.
“Through my grief, and because of the love I have for my daughter, I want to turn an incredibly difficult time into something positive by taking on two extreme challenges.
“The challenge during Baby Loss Awareness Week is for every single parent who has experienced baby loss, and in remembrance of their babies. The challenge in Rhodes is a symbol of love for Kallipateira.
“To take on an extreme challenge on my daughter’s actual birthday will be emotional from start to finish. But if we can raise vital funds for stillbirth research and help make a difference for other families in the future, then it will be worth every step.”
Ben hopes the extreme challenges will raise vital funds for research while also helping keep conversations about baby loss and stillbirth going during Baby Loss Awareness Week and throughout October.
For Ben and his family, the extreme challenges are about turning an incredibly painful month into action — 26 for Kallipateira. Two Extreme Challenges. One Promise.
Support Ben’s October Extreme Challenges
You can support Ben’s extreme challenges and help raise vital funds for stillbirth research by visiting the fundraising page:
www.justgiving.com/page/octoberchallenge
Every donation, share and message of support will help Ben turn Kallipateira’s memory into something positive for other families.