A-Gas Supports Team Elijah's Star!
A‑Gas are incredibly proud to be sponsoring the Elijah’s Star Team who are taking on the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge and rowing the Atlantic for Action Medical Research.
Action Medical Research has been funding medical breakthroughs for almost 30 years. The charity has helped to beat polio, fight meningitis, prevent stillbirths and develop ultrasound scanning in pregnancy, helping to save thousands of children’s lives.
Team Elijah’s Star are supporting Action Medical Research’s “born too soon” campaign, which supports research into premature birth. In the UK alone, over 61,000 babies are born prematurely each year, with many suffering illnesses and disabilities which can remain with them for the rest of their lives.
Globally, premature birth is the biggest killer of children under five years old. Just one research project will cost between £150,000 and £200,000 so the amazing Elijah’s Star team aim to raise the full £200K for the charity.
The team’s name, Elijah’s Star, is named after baby Elijah who was born premature at 25 weeks weighing just 1lb 13oz. Elijah tragically died at only 37 days old. Before he died, his parents allowed Elijah to become part of a study (funded by Action Medical Research) trying to find a way to identify conditions in premature babies before they become life-threatening.
Jenny, Elijah’s mum, explained why they took part in the Action research “Elijah led a very traumatic little life so any change that could stop another child going through this would be amazing”. With permission from Elijah’s family, they are racing in his name and will aim to row across the Atlantic in 37 days, one day for every day that Elijah lived.
Ian Podmore, Regional Managing Director EMEA and Asia Pacific, said: “A‑Gas is proud to support the Herculean effort that the Elijah’s Star team are undertaking and in doing so help such a worthwhile cause. It’s amazing what human effort can achieve, and we look forward to following the team’s efforts as they battle across the Atlantic.”
The team and their journey can be followed via their Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. In addition to this, the team will have a tracker on their boat, which will allow supporters to follow their journey via the Yellow Brick App.
Good luck to the team from everyone at A‑Gas!
