On Wednesday 11 September, we headed to BGC Partners’ London HQ for their annual BGC Charity Day, to raise money for our Butterfly Fund.
We were joined by our wonderful Patron Holly Willoughby, who headed to the trading floor and helped raise an incredible amount of money, which will financially support families when their child dies.
This is the eighth year we’ve been invited to BGC’s Charity Day and in that time, they have raised over an incredible £320,360 for seriously ill children and their families across the UK.
A very special birthday
It was at BGC that Holly met mum Stephanie, dad Tony and daughter Talitha, who was also celebrating her 15th birthday.
Holly spent time with the family and learnt all about their son and twin brother, Alex, who sadly passed away in September 2023. Holly and the BGC team even surprised Dr Who superfan Talitha with her very own space-themed birthday cake!
Alex and Talitha’s birthday is a bit of a mix of emotions for all of us, so we are over the moon we managed to give Talitha a birthday to remember! We had a blast with the family activities, and getting to meet Holly and knowing we helped raise money to support other families grieving for their very own Alex was really special.
Stephanie, Alex and Talitha's mum
Remembering Alex
Alex and his sister Talitha were born prematurely, 15 weeks before their due date.
Alex had breathing problems and spent the first six months of his life in hospital. Soon after, he was diagnosed with Tracheobronchomalacia, a rare condition that meant his windpipe was too soft. Four and a half months later, his family found out he also had Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy and Dystonia, a condition that causes muscles to contract involuntarily.
Throughout his life, Alex had many ups and downs which mum Stephanie describes as being “like a rollercoaster.”
In September 2023, Alex developed pneumonia, which developed into septic shock. He died two weeks after his 14th birthday.
Financial support for bereaved families
After his death, the family received a Butterfly Fund grant. With so many things to organise in the first couple of weeks after Alex’s death, the family spent the money on day-to-day living costs.
It provided that extra bit of assistance at a time that was already hard. After your child dies and the government payments stop, those initial costs can make life incredibly tough, especially when you are struggling to come to terms with everything. That’s where the Butterfly Fund is a huge help.
Stephanie
No family should ever have to worry about money when their child dies, and the funds raised by BGC Partners in memory of the lives lost during 9/11 will make sure they don’t have to.
