Five Chesterfield dads take on cycling challenge for two children's charities

Liam Sutcliffe 29, will be riding 500km in just four days and will be joined on the final leg, from Bolsover to Skegness, by four friends.

Liam and his partner Katy Lang lost their twin daughters in 2019 to Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS), a condition in pregnancy in which twins share unequal amounts of the placenta's blood supply.

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Katy said: “I had surgery in an attempt to fuse the placenta but the babies were born too early to survive.”

The couple, who now have a five-month-old baby boy, Parker, were supported throughout by the JOEL – The Complete Package charity, which helps couples who have lost babies.

Katy said support group JOEL had provided ‘kindness, friendship and understanding’ when they needed it most.

"The creators of JOEL and the other families who use it have been a massive support to us in finding our ‘new normal’ and supporting us on the grieving process of our girls,” Katy, 28, said.

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"Since making the decision to try to conceive our rainbow baby, JOEL have again been right by our side through all the worries and anxieties and were among the first people we wanted to introduce Parker to when he was born.”

Liam and Katy’s close friends, Natasha and Brandon Scott, have been supported by a different charity after their daughter was diagnosed with the rare brain condition hydrocephalus.

Natasha and Brandon found out little Elissia had the condition when she was about 10-weeks-old.

Natasha said finding the charity SHINE ‘was the best thing we did’.

"They have given us so much knowledge about hydrocephalus and what a child with this condition needs,” she said.

"They’ve given us advice about the future and reassured us they are here all the time for advice and support.”

The two couples have decided to take on a fundraiser for both charities.

On the final leg of the ride, Liam will be joined by Lee Mellor, Adam Dobbs and Josh Scamp, all from Bolsover, and Sam Canning, from Clay Cross.

Liam’s challenge begins on June 16, with the Skegness leg on June 19 – Elissia’s birthday and what would have been the birthday of the twins.

Visit their fundraising page here