In 2020 Naomi and Jay lost their firstborn Esti at 25 weeks. They were a low risk, young couple and were locked into having a healthy child in their minds. It was such a shock when their doctor told them that they should have a ‘pessimistic outlook moving forward.’
The pain of losing Esti was something Jay and Naomi wouldn’t wish upon anyone. Despite this pain, they remember Esti with a smile.
Their loss has translated into wanting to do something for others and to help us by raising funds so that we can help other families ‘through the darkest time.’ They want to move forward and talk openly about it.
‘I had never done anything like this before,’ said Naomi
Peer support
‘I’d never heard of Sands before we needed them. They helped us through all these things we never knew we would have to do.’ - Jay
‘Sands helped me through the hardest moments of my life’ - Naomi
Naomi feels that it is hard for people who haven’t experienced what they have to understand, which is why she found that connecting tp the peer support team to be so helpful.
Jay and Naomi’ tried to turn a negative situation into a positive. When Jay first suggested running ‘7 peaks in 7 days,’ Naomi dismissed it quickly, but she came around to the idea almost as quickly as she’d dismissed it.
‘Talking to parents who were years down the track was a pivotal moment for me.’
The Run
Between them, Jay and Naomi ran over 260 km, close to 8000 metres elevation, and raised over $13,000. They were joined by several friends along the way and supported by people they hadn’t spoken to for years.
Naomi ran a separate route on many of the days and found the time especially important to her as she spent time with the memory of the beautiful girl that she lost. To help her stay motivated, Naomi wore a band with Esti written on it.
One of their friends helped them create this incredible video on their journey.
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