Bid to run 24 Formula 1 tracks in three months to raise £1m.

Friday 13 September 2024

A unique running challenge will raise money for two charities after the lifesaving help they have given a local family.

Iesha Pirito has embarked on Project Track to Track on a mission inspired by her younger brother Hayden.

She wants to raise £1m. to split between Paws for Support Guernsey and Great Ormond Street Hospital by running each of the 24 Formula 1 tracks between December and March. 

Her younger brother  was diagnosed with Lissencephaly Type 2 and Global Developmental Delay.

“Hayden was born in 2006 and given a life expectancy of just four years,” she said. “However, he is now 18 and will turn 19 in January 2025. 

“I truly believe he wouldn’t be here without the help and support of both charities. Hayden is an absolute miracle, and his story deserves to be shared with the world.”

Pictured: The money raised will be split between two charities that have supported Hayden.

In January 2023, Hayden became critically ill.

He was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, and his survival chances were uncertain due to his unstable condition. 

“He experiences seizures frequently, which made his case incredibly complex. Each day was a challenge, waking up every morning hoping not to see a message or a missed call from our mum confirming our deepest fears.

“After six weeks in intensive care and several surgeries, Hayden was back home with us. It took months of recovery for him to regain his appetite and health.

“It was at this point that we decided to get Hayden a service dog. Paws for Support Guernsey helped us find and train Bingo, Hayden’s now-medical alert dog. Without their help, we couldn’t have afforded a fully trained assistance dog.

“Bingo has been a tremendous help to Hayden; she is trained to retrieve his emergency medication, alert our mum through scent detection, and comfort Hayden during his seizures.”

She said both Paws for Support and Gosh deserve more than she could ever give them. “Every child and adult with additional needs deserves access to medical alert and assistance dogs. This is why our mission aims to raise £1 million, to be split equally between both charities.”

It will begin in Brazil in December.

“Over the course of three months, we will traverse five continents and 21 countries, running a distance equivalent to nearly three marathons.

“As you can imagine, a project of this magnitude requires corporate sponsors. If any local companies are interested in supporting our mission and gaining global exposure, we would be delighted to have them on board. We are professionally producing content to share online in short form via YouTube and other platforms.

“I have already started sharing daily content of our preparations for this mission on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.”