Fighting for a cause: Callum’s charity boxing match
Content Warning (click for details)
This story contains mentions of previous child loss due to pregnancy complications
Jordan and Callum were eager to meet their baby daughter, Harper-Lily, in April 2021. But their excitement quickly changed when she stopped breathing and was rushed to intensive care.
Three years on, Harper-Lily’s parents reflect on their daughter’s journey and why dad Callum has decided to take on a charity boxing match to raise funds for CLAPA.
“[Due to complications in our first pregnancy], we had around seven or eight nurses and doctors on standby but they had all left following [Harper-Lily’s] arrival as initial signs were fine. Five minutes later, she was rushed to the intensive care unit and diagnosed with a cleft palate.”
Jordan and Callum knew from an early scan, that Harper-Lily may be born with ‘a set back jaw’ but it wasn’t until the newborn arrived that a cleft of the soft and hard palate was confirmed, and later a diagnosis of Pierre Robin Sequence.
“We spent a few weeks in the hospital while Harper gained her gag reflex and learned how to feed. We, as parents, were also learning. We’d never heard of Pierre Robin Sequence until Harper was diagnosed. It was a lot for us to take in as a family, especially after a complicated and scary pregnancy.” Said mum, Jordan.
“It was a lot for us to take in as a family, especially after a complicated and scary pregnancy.”
“The first year of her life was incredibly tough for us as parents, filled with anxiety, worrying if she was sleeping correctly or had rolled over in the night and stopped breathing, tube feeding her, countless appointments and home visits. The list goes on!”
Jordan and Callum’s anxieties were multiplied due to sadly losing their firstborn, Autumn-Lily, due to complications in the pregnancy.
Jordan said, “Harper was our rainbow baby, which made her all the more special.”
Callum followed, “Exactly a year before [Harper was born], in the same delivery room, in the same hospital, Jordan birthed our first child, Autumn-Lily Booth. She was born early due to complications, and we knew we would never get to see her grow up. We’ve been through so much, and we got through the worst together.”
“We’ve been through so much, and got through the worst together.”
Like many children born with a cleft, Harper had her first surgery, just after her first birthday, to have her palate repaired. Jordan told CLAPA, “This was incredibly tough to watch her go through but she did it. She is now three years old and is thriving.”
“We have what we call ‘extra small stepping stones’, like a hearing aid, speech and language therapy. But, that’s exactly what they are, small stepping stones.”
“We’re just incredibly grateful at how resilient and brave she is. We couldn’t have been blessed with a more perfect daughter. We know that she’ll grow up to let nothing get in her way and we couldn’t be more proud, or love her anymore if we tried.”
To give back to CLAPA, which supported the new parents through their diagnosis and journey, Dad, Callum is training for a charity boxing match. The match will be held at Preston North End Football Ground on Saturday 16th November.
He said, “I have never really been a fighter or the initiator of conflict but I want to test myself.”
“Becoming a Father has taken a toll on my physical and mental health but now my family is in a good position, it’s time to challenge myself.”
“The end goal is to win the fight, just like my little girl did!”
“The end goal is to win the fight, just like my little girl did!”
Jordan added, “If you’d like to speak to us anymore about our journey with Harper, we’d be more than
happy too as this is only a snippet of what life is really like with a cleft baby.” You can follow the couples journey on Instagram @lifeatthebooths
Thank you Jordan and Callum.
Thank you to Jordan and Callum for sharing their difficult story with us.
Follow Callum’s fundraising journey and support his efforts.
Start your fundraising journey for CLAPA and take a look at our challenge events near you, or get inspired by our endless ideas.
