Action launches '60,000 Reasons' challenge to help stop premature births

Horsham-based children’s charity Action Medical Research is launching its latest fundraising challenge to help stop premature births.

’60,000 Reasons’ encourages people across the UK to raise a minimum of £60 by walking or running 60 miles over a 60 day period.

Event Coordinator Kat Rand explains why: “Every year in the UK, around 60,000 babies are born prematurely; tragically, more than 1,000 lose their lives due to premature birth[1-5]. It’s too many. Far too many.

“Our ‘60,000 Reasons’ challenge is suitable for people of all abilities and will raise money to fund research to help stop babies being born too soon.”

The challenge officially starts on 1 October, but you can sign up for free on the Action Medical Research website whenever you like.

And it doesn’t matter how you rack up the 60 miles.

If you’re fan of running, great. Prefer hiking in the South Downs? No problem. Even walking into town on your lunch break could help. Every step counts.

Kat says there’s a lot of flexibility with this challenge: “You can choose to cover a mile every day, or maybe do 7 miles at the weekend… it’s entirely up to you.

“The aim is just to cover 60 miles by the end of the 60th day, however you choose to do it.”

At Action Medical Research, we fight for answers. Answers that can lead to cures, treatments and medical breakthroughs for some of the toughest fights our children face.

Over 1,000 babies die each year in the UK due to premature birth. Globally, it’s the biggest killer of children under 5. It’s too many. Far too many.

So we’re fighting back. Together we will help stop babies being born too soon. Join the fight and sign up today to take part in 60 Reasons.

Notes to Editors

60 Reasons is part of Action’s campaign which was launched last year to help shine a spotlight on the devastation caused by premature birth and aims to raise £1 million for vital research.

Find out more: action.org.uk/borntoosoon  

References

1. Vital statistics in the UK: births, deaths and marriages - 2018 update: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/vitalstatisticspopulationandhealthreferencetables [website accessed 13 June 2019]
    
2. National Institute for Clinical Excellence: Preterm labour and birth final scope, April 2013: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng25/documents/preterm-labour-and-birth-final-scope2

3. Office for National Statistics. Childhood mortality in England and Wales 2017, Table 6: http://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/datasets/childmortalitystatisticschildhoodinfantandperinatalchildhoodinfantandperinatalmortalityinenglandandwales  [website accessed 24 June 2019]

4. National Records for Scotland. Section 4: Stillbirths and Infant deaths 2017: https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/vital-events/general-publications/vital-events-reference-tables/2017/section-4-stillbirths-and-infant-deaths [website accessed 24 June 2019]
    
5. Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Registrar General Annual Report 2017 – Stillbirths and Infant Deaths: https://www.nisra.gov.uk/publications/registrar-general-annual-report-2017-stillbirths-and-infant-deaths [website accessed 24 June 2019]

Photos

Tap on the links below to download photos:

https://action.org.uk/sites/default/files/2019-09/60k_participant.jpg

https://action.org.uk/sites/default/files/2019-09/60kReasons_logo.jpg

https://action.org.uk/sites/default/files/2019-09/60k_fundriaser-page-banner.jpg

For more information on Action Medical Research contact Peter Denton, Fundraising Communications Officer, on:

T: 01403 327412
E: pdenton@action.org.uk
W: action.org.uk

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Action Medical Research is a leading UK-wide charity saving and changing children’s lives through medical research. For more than 65 years we’ve helped pioneer ways to prevent disease and develop treatments benefiting millions of people. Our research has helped to beat polio in the UK, develop ultrasound in pregnancy, fight meningitis and prevent stillbirths. But we urgently need to develop more new treatments and cures for sick babies and children and we can’t do it without you.

Join our fight for little lives today.