A former Matravers student will climb Everest to raise money in tribute to his cousin, who died aged just one week old.
Matt Gainey, a British Army officer scholar, will take on the challenge over the course of 14 days in June.
The epic challenge will raise money for The Lullaby Trust, which aims to prevent unexpected deaths in infancy and promote infant health.
Matt, 19, has a personal connection to the charity through his aunt and uncle, Beth and Callum, who lost their son Joshua at just one-week-old during the Covid pandemic. Due to restrictions in place at the time, Matt was unable to attend his cousin’s funeral. He is still trying to process the pain experienced from this period.
He said, “At this time I was experiencing all this emotion and grief, and my family were – and still are – always talking about him, but I felt somewhat disassociated.
“I had nothing physical and no memories to attach my emotion onto. It was a very strange thing to process.
“Now, whenever I get to know someone and I start to open up about what I’ve experienced, it can be hard to explain it all in one conversation. It was certainly a really difficult time for the whole family. Everyone got hit massively after losing Joshua.”
Matt, who was head boy at Matravers last year as well as Regimental Sergeant Major of the school’s cadet contingent, is currently taking a gap year in Australia where he is working in hospitality. He will move to Bournemouth for university in September after his Everest trek.
He is fitting in plenty of sessions in the gym and heading out for long hikes to train for the trek, which begins on 1st June. The journey will take Matt 5,700m high and his body will have to adjust to an altitude which will be unlike anything he’s experienced before.
Matt hopes to raise as much money for The Lullaby Trust as possible in his charity challenge. Every week in the UK, nine babies die suddenly and unexpectedly. The Lullaby Trust’s expert advice and research has empowered families for decades, saving over 30,000 babies’ lives.
He added, “The challenge will, firstly, help me personally to cope with my bereavement. I do my best thinking when I’m outside.
“We usually go as a family to Joshua’s grave to sing carols every Christmas, but I had to miss it this year as I was away. Everest Base Camp will hopefully give me back this time to reflect, remember and process.
“I also hope that my fundraising will support The Lullaby Trust to continue their work in researching and explaining the signs and symptoms to look out for to prevent infection in babies. Ultimately, I hope my fundraising keeps more babies safe, and ensures that grieving families receive the specialist support they need.”
Matt says any support would ‘mean the world’, adding, “The loss of a child is a pain only parents can fully comprehend.
“If you are able to donate, the money goes to a cause that not only helps those who have experienced this tragic loss, but also educates both future and new parents and those who have regular close contact with babies to reduce the likelihood of infection transmission.”
To donate to Matt’s fundraiser, visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/matthew-gainey-1
