One of our consultants is going on a 200-mile bike ride – pulling an incubator behind him.
The remarkable charity fundraiser by Consultant Ophthalmologist Fadi Ghazala is in tribute to his late baby daughter, Rita Grace, who died from a rare genetic condition in 2024.
Fadi explained: “From 28 to 31 July, I’ll be on my road bike in a tandem – me and Rita. Those I pass on my ride will not see that because I carry her in my heart.
“Towing an incubator on a trailer will be a reminder of who I am doing this for: Rita and all those beautiful babies that have short lives. It’s a lightweight, portable ‘mOm’ incubator that the manufacturer has kindly lent me.”
As he pulls his 30kg load, the Ride4Rita will take him 210 miles across Scotland to the neonatal units in Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh before finishing in Glasgow, at the Royal Hospital for Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, where Rita was treated after her birth for Edwards Syndrome, also called Trisomy-18.
All the funds raised will go to the Rita’s Legacy of Hope Fund at the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity.
Fadi said: “Rita was incredibly brave, resilient and peaceful from the get-go. She made me and my wife Liz very proud parents and gave us the best nine days of our lives – she was a huge inspiration.”
Last year Fadi, Liz and family and friends cycled between Scotland’s largest neonatal units to raise funds for the hospital.
He said: “The last ride raised enough money to create Rita’s Room, which is a fit-for-purpose space at Crossbasket House, which provides accommodation for families with a child in hospital. The room is for families to receive support and counselling following the loss of their child, and numerous people benefit from this every day.
“This year, the Ride4Rita will fund a cuddle cot system for the palliative care team. A cuddle cot is specialised cooling cot that allow grieving families to spend precious time with a baby who has passed away.
“There is nothing more difficult than saying bye to your child, and having the time the cuddle cot provides in those moments after death is shown to help families with their loss.
“The things that happen in those moments are very private. But I promise you, if you want to make an impact on someone’s life, there is little that has more impact than allowing a family some moments after their child has passed to say goodbyes.”
If you’d like to support Fadi, visit his JustGiving page.
