Hi,

It is completely unfathomable to lose your own child at a young age, however this is a reality faced by many parents and it is something Gillian and I experienced 18 months ago when Aidan, our three year old son, passed away unexpectedly.

After Aidan’s death, Gillian and I have had to pick up the pieces and move on with our lives and this would not have been possible without the support we received from friends, family, work colleagues and, of course, SIDs and Kids. If there is a silver lining to any tragedy, for me it is this: our tragedies play a large part in shaping and growing our communities and they often inspire us all to make a difference through our acts of generosity, love and personal sacrifice for those in need.

Being on the receiving end of the generosity of others was a humbling experience and ever since Aidan’s death I have dedicated a lot of my energy to repaying the support my family received. With this pursuit in mind, I will be getting on my bike to ride from Sydney to CAMberra in April to support SIDs and Kids and the Stillbirth Foundation.

From my perspective I don't have to think twice about subjecting myself to some pain and suffering to honour and remember Aidan but I would like to ask you to consider also supporting Aidan, Gillian and I by making a secure donation to help support bereaved families and to fund research aimed at preventing stillbirth and infant deaths.

Even if you are unable to donate please assist me in reaching my fundraising goal by sharing this link with your friends, family and work colleagues (or liking the post if viewing via Facebook or Linked In).

Thank you for helping me in supporting a cause that is dear to my heart and for helping the many parents that come together in this ride's weekend, especially those that will be there after only recently sufferring the loss of their child.

Regards,

Aidan & Lucas Mara