Norfolk couple take on 24-hour walk in memory of three babies they lost
Tanya and Joe Rejek expect to cover more than 70 miles to raise money for two charities that supported them through their grief
A Norfolk couple are walking continuously for 24 hours across the county to honour the three babies they have lost.
Tanya and Joe Rejek started the walk at 12pm on Friday to mark the start of Baby Loss Awareness Week 2026.
They expect to cover more than 70 miles.
The couple are raising money for two charities that helped them through their grief, TimeNorfolk and Tommy's.
They also want to raise awareness of baby loss.
Why the couple are taking on the challenge
Tanya and Joe say the challenge is about much more than the miles.
They hope that sharing their experiences, alongside the walk, will encourage more open conversations about pregnancy and baby loss.
They also want to highlight that grief can affect both parents and the wider family.
Tanya said: "I cannot tell you how tough this walk will be. No sleep, constant walking and inevitable blisters, but the pain we endure during those 24 hours will never come close to the pain of losing a baby."
The couple hope the walk will give other families a chance to remember their own much-loved and missed babies.
They said: "Baby loss affects so many families, yet it can still be incredibly difficult to talk about. We want this walk to honour the babies who are loved and remembered, including our own, while raising awareness of the impact that loss can have on families."
Tanya first turned to TimeNorfolk in 2018, after losing her first baby, Isaac, at 19 weeks of pregnancy.
She said: "I have never felt more alone, scared and confused about what was happening to my body and my dreams of being a parent. TimeNorfolk provided support, reassurance and, most importantly, a listening ear. They gave me the space to talk and allowed me to work through the different stages of my grief."
While she was receiving support from the charity, Tanya found out she was pregnant with her daughter.
She said: "I was so scared to tell anyone in case I lost another baby. When I told TimeNorfolk about the pregnancy, they supported me so much. The charity is fundamental for grieving families, no matter what stage of grief they are in."
TimeNorfolk provides wellbeing support to people across Norfolk and Waveney who are experiencing mental health challenges linked to pregnancy loss at any stage, baby loss or pregnancy choices.
They are also supporting Tommy's, a charity Joe turned to repeatedly after the couple's miscarriages.
Much of the physical experience of pregnancy loss was Tanya's, and Joe found himself coping with his own grief while also supporting his wife.
He said: "Tommy's became a refuge of information and support for me when Tanya and I experienced miscarriages. Their resources for dads and partners were something I repeatedly turned to during what would otherwise have been an even more mentally exhausting and scary period of my life."
He added: "There can be so much uncertainty surrounding miscarriage and baby loss. Having somewhere I could go for factual information helped me better understand what was happening and how I could support Tanya while also trying to process my own feelings."
Tommy's funds medical research into the causes of miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth.
It also provides pregnancy and baby loss information and support for families.