Magherafelt dad takes on Strictly challenge after death of baby Bailey

The charity is particularly close to the Moody family’s hearts following the sad loss of Craig’s first child, baby Bailey who was born at just 27 weeks gestation on 21 January 2009.

At first, despite Bailey’s early arrival and low birth weight, medics were not initially concerned about any health problems.

However, he was quickly rushed to the neonatal unit following blood tests which discovered that Bailey was suffering from septicaemia; blood poisoning which occurs when a bacterial infection enters the bloodstream.

Just six and a half hours after his birth, parents Craig and Cathy had to make the heartbreaking decision to switch off Bailey’s life support machine.

“It was the hardest decision you could ever have to make as a parent but we knew that by keeping the machine on, we were just prolonging his pain”, said Craig.

It was following Bailey’s passing that the couple became aware of TinyLife and the services that the charity offer to local families dealing with the often traffic effects of premature birth. Quickly they became avid fundraisers for the charity, which included Craig doing an abseil to raise funds alongside his father in 2010.

“I found it difficult to grieve in those early days and felt that channelling my energy into fundraising for TinyLife and other agencies would at least benefit others who were going through the same thing as us”, Craig explains.

The birth of youngest son, Jaxon now aged three, was ‘the light at the end of the tunnel’ for Craig and he has been looking for something to really get his teeth into ever since.

He added: “I have absolutely no dance experience but I am enjoying the training with Cara (Macklin) and we are putting in the hours for practice. On the night, Bailey will be my inspiration.”

TinyLife Does Strictly will take place on 6 November in La Mon Hotel and Country Club. Find out about the event and others at www.tinylife.org.uk