Running for Oscar & Felix: 10 Years On
During 2025 Liz and Phil are completing ten endurance events in memory of their twin sons, Oscar and Felix. A powerful way to honour what would have been their 10th birthday.
Their story is one of unimaginable loss, deep love, and incredible strength. Oscar died in the womb at 27 weeks due to a heart condition. Felix, born prematurely at 33 weeks, passed away just five days later due to NEC (necrotising enterocolitis). In the ten years since, Liz and Phil have worked to find meaning, raise awareness, and support others navigating the pain of baby loss.
“This milestone is not just about remembering them, it's about recognising our survival too. We’re still standing, and this is our way of marking that.”
To honour both boys, Liz and Phil have taken on ten physically and emotionally demanding events; including three Wolf Runs, a Tough Mudder, a Total Warrior, two Born Survivors, and the Three Peaks Challenge (Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, and Snowdon).
Their final event will be Autumn Wolf in September, the day after one of their Born Survivor runs! A truly tough weekend, all in tribute to two little lives that changed theirs forever.
“The Wolf Runs have been brilliant, such a buzz, so well organised, and full of people helping each other out. We’ll probably sign up for next year, even though they’re quite a trek from Lancashire!”
Each of the three charities they’re supporting has a deep personal connection:
Tiny Tickers, in memory of Oscar, supports early detection and treatment of heart conditions in babies.
Action Medical Research, representing Felix and their living children, funds vital research into prematurity and conditions like NEC.
Footprints Babyloss Twin & Triplet Support, where Liz now volunteers, offered her vital peer support in the early days of grief.
“One of the hardest parts of baby loss is how people stop mentioning your babies. But we think of them every day. Please, say their names.”
In the early days after losing their boys, simply putting one foot in front of the other was sometimes all they could manage. Now, ten years on, they’re doing exactly that, but this time, with purpose and for these causes close to their heart.
What began as survival has become action. What was once minute-by-minute is now mile-by-mile, and every step honours Oscar and Felix.
Exercise can be a life-saver after loss, not just physically, but emotionally too. There’s something about getting outside and challenging your body that can pull you through the darkest days.
To other parents facing loss, Liz and Phil offer this:
“In the beginning, it’s just step by step. But over time, the grief changes. You learn to live with it. And when you’re ready, doing something like this can help you carry them forward, with purpose and love.”
We feel truly privileged that Liz and Phil chose to include the Wolf Run as part of their journey. It means so much to us that our event can offer even a small space for people to honour their loved ones, process grief, and raise funds for causes close to their hearts.
If you’d like to support their incredible effort and the causes they’re running for, visit their fundraising page here:
https://gvwhl.com/NL3AP