Chorley veteran rowing 3,000 miles across Atlantic for baby Elijah, who lived for just 37 days

Jason Kerr, from Chorley, along with long-standing pals Philip Bigland, Mac McCarthy and Dean Frost, are former armed forces servicemen, and are currently rowing 3,000 miles between the Canary Islands and Antigua and Barbuda in memory of Elijah Halse.

Elijah was born at 25 weeks and three days, weighing 823g, and sadly lived for just 37 days.

To shine a spotlight on the impact premature birth has on babies and their families and to help raise funds for children’s charity Action Medical Research, the four friends have set themselves a target of completing the crossing in 37 days, a time which represents Elijah's short life.

They will be rowing in a tiny boat which they have named Elijah's Star, and which also carries the names of more than a thousand premature babies who wanted to be part of the journey.

Elijah's mum, Jenny Halse said: "Elijah’s life was short and difficult right from the outset, he had more medical intervention in his 37 days than I hope to in my lifetime.

"We have to be grateful that he died in our arms.

"The Elijah’s Star team are giving us as a family so much joy.

"We are in awe of their strength and their determination to change outcomes for premature birth and that they are keeping his memory alive still.

"Along with Action Medical Research, we hope to fund research to reduce the chance of this pain happening to other families."

The friends have been training for the challenge for two years, and will cover more than 3,000 miles in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge – known as the world’s toughest row.

Battling waves of up to 20 feet, in a 28 x 5ft boat, the crew are pushing their personal boundaries by rowing and sleeping continuously in two-hour blocks, facing sleep deprivation, salt sores and breaking physical limitations on a daily basis.

Lewis Coghlin, fundraising director at Action Medical Research, a UK-wide children’s charity which funds desperately needed research to tackle the diseases that devastate the lives of so many children, said: “Everyone at Action is so grateful to the Elijah’s Star team for taking on this unimaginable challenge to remember baby Elijah.

"Action helps fund vital research for sick babies and children, some of which looks into the causes of premature birth and the complications that can arise from it.

"We hope that through medical research we can make a difference for other babies in a similar situation in the future, so hopefully their lives won’t be cut so painfully short.”

The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge is recognised as the world's toughest row covering more than 3,000 miles between the start in the Canary Islands and the end point in Nelsons Dockyard, English Harbour, Antigua and Barbuda.

Action Medical Research been funding medical breakthroughs since it began in 1952 including helping to introduce the first polio vaccines in the UK, developing the use of ultrasound in pregnancy and testing the rubella vaccine.

It is now driving forward children’s research in the fight against Covid-19 as well as funding research into conditions including asthma, prematurity, meningitis, cerebral palsy, brain cancer and some rare and distressing conditions.

To honour Elijah’s short life and the team’s incredible challenge, you can donate to their Just Giving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/elijahsstar.