A dad has revealed that he cries every day following the tragic loss of his daughter. Ben Moorhouse is planning a huge walk from Edinburgh Castle to Manchester in honour of his daughter, Kallipateira, who was stillborn at 37 weeks in October 2018.
Ben who lives in Halifax, West Yorkshire, wants to stop stillbirths being a taboo topic and wants to help those suffering to open up.
Speaking to Edinburgh Live, the 40-year-old said: "Men are treated differently when it comes to stillbirths. In my experience, men are thought to have to be the strong ones, never cry...but I cry every day for Kallipateira."
Ben, who lives with his partner Gaynor Thompson and their three-year-old son Apollon, added: "Some people look at my son and think he's replaced her, but he hasn't. Our daughter is still very much a part of our lives.
"I think stillbirths are still a taboo subject. Not many people know how to talk about it. They cross the street and avoid you. But even just a smile, pat on the shoulder would do. I want to say to men who are going through it, 'Don't hide in the shadows and it's okay to open up about how you're feeling'".
The housing association worker said that there had been nothing wrong throughout the months of Gaynor's pregnancy with Kallipateira, but their lives were "turned upside down" just weeks before the due date.
Ben said: "We were asked to come in for the regular checkups and were told it was fine. But a week later, we got the devastating news that her heart had stopped beating. The trauma of it doesn't go away overnight."
Following the death of their daughter and a miscarriage in 2019, the couple launched Kallipateira Moorhouse Foundation. The charity aims to help save the lives of babies through research and support other parents who have experienced loss.
During the pregnancy with Apollon, they turned to an expert for support. Professor Alexander Heazell, who runs Tommy’s Rainbow Clinic and Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre in Manchester, helped the couple and, on May 23, 2020, Gaynor gave birth to their son.
Next month, in honour of his daughter and to raise funds for Professor Heazell's research, Ben will be walking from Edinburgh to Manchester on July 15. He is planning to complete the 206-mile walk in 68 hours.
He added: "This for Kallipateira. It's her legacy and The Kallipateira Moorhouse Foundation is a promise I made her. I want to raise awareness of stillborns and help other parents too."
Gaynor and a support team will be at Edinburgh Castle from 7am to cheer Ben off and he hopes to see locals supporting his latest trek.
Ben can be supported at Just Giving.
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