Spotlight On: Stephanie and Josh Reynolds. Mother and Son combo sign up for #muckymudder

Stephanie Reynolds and son, Josh, 24, are taking on their first fundraiser together in Wirral Hospice St John’s brand new Mucky Mudder event on Sunday 29^th September.

Steph explains, “My sister, Trish, and her friend, Paula, take on lots of runs and other events for charity, and it was Trish who convinced us to join them on the challenge in memory of our sister, Maria.”

I went to meet Steph and Josh to see how their training was going (you don’t need to train too hard as you can go at your own pace, but they both have a personal wish to make a bit of an effort).

Maria (pictured here with Steph) lived with autism and learning disabilities, and when the aforementioned Trish and brother, Richie, all came along (all within 12 years), Steph took on the role of ‘sibling matriarch’.

Maria attended Wirral’s outstanding Claremount School, which is predominantly for children with special educational needs.

In April 2017 Maria was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She underwent a complex whipple procedure (also known as pancreaticoduodenemectomy) procedure later that July.

In December 2017, Maria was referred to Wirral Hospice St John’s inpatients as a means to control the pain and discomfort that her condition was causing.

Maria died in January 2018.

Stephanie says, “Wirral Hospice St John’s was absolutely marvellous for Maria. The nurses were so sensitive to Maria’s particular needs.”

As well as Josh, Steph has a daughter, Gemma and grandson, Lewis, 12, and there’s a new grandchild on the way!

Steph and Josh are collecting sponsorship and also preparing for the actual Mucky Mudder day. I ask them how,

“I rode my bike 33 miles on the weekend”, Josh says, almost apologetically. He describes a route taking in much of the Wirral peninsula’s coastal routes and I’m thinking, ‘don’t apologise Josh, Mucky Mudder is a different, fun, kind of test but you’re obviously well equipped to get around. I wonder if he may be ‘up’ for a longer bike ride in the future, London to Paris maybe!’

Steph uses the ladies gym at Hearts Health Club in Wallasey, and although it’s her first fundraiser, I feel confident she’s going to have a lot of laughs and is more than capable of making her way around 5k of muddy obstacles, landscapes and ponds.

“We’re committed now” she says, “and along with Josh, Trish and Paula (and over 150 other participants) we’re going to be keeping in mind exactly why we’re doing it. For the wonderful Wirral Hospice St John’s and in memory of  Maria.”

Have a Muddy good one, Steph and Josh!

Author: Billy Howard

If you’d like to take on Mucky Mudder for Wirral Hospice St John’s, there are still some places available.

For more details and to sign up go to www.wirralhospice.org/muckymudder or call Sarah on 0151-343-0778