Iona and Jo’s incredible donation to Maternity Services

Iona Morrison and Joanna (Jo) Macdonald have raised a remarkable £3689.55 (£3,563.27 donated after Just Giving fees) for Western Isles Maternity Services after completing an extraordinary challenge: ten 10km runs throughout 2025, undertaken in memory of their baby boys on the tenth anniversary of their loss.

Jo said: “Iona and I should have met at the school gates, instead we met at a baby loss awareness group. Although our losses were different, we bonded over our shared grief. Over the years we have supported each other through various milestones, and in 2025 we decided to run ten 10km runs to mark 10 years since we lost our precious boys, to honour the lives they didn’t get to live.”

Iona added: “We wanted to raise money for Western Isles Maternity Services to help them provide the best support they can for other families going through the heartbreak of losing their baby. Over the years we’ve met and made friends with a lot of other women who have gone through the pain of losing a child, while also witnessing friends and family go through the agony of having to say goodbye to their babies. We hope that this money can go towards helping support families who may be going through a similar heartbreak.”

The first 10km route that they completed was a meaningful one Beginning at Back School, where their sons would have started school together, Iona and Jo ran all the way to the Western Isles Hospital, where both women were cared for following the loss of their babies.

Jo and Iona ran various 10km routes over a 6-month period, some together and some individually, battling strong winds, heavy rain and difficult Hebridean hills. Their determination carried them through to their final run on 29th November which they completed together. Starting at the Woodlands Café, the Jo and Iona made their way through the Castle Grounds and around Stornoway before meeting their husbands, Mark and James, and their children, Isabella, Alana, Ruairidh, Hamish and Calum at Porter’s Lodge to run the final kilometre together.

NHS Western Isles would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to Iona and Jo for their strength, compassion and generosity. Their dedication will make a meaningful difference to families across the Western Isles.

Catherine Macdonald, Head of Midwifery, NHS Western Isles, said: “This is an incredible achievement from both Jo and Iona, supported by their families and friends throughout the year. All the staff within the Maternity Unit would like to thank them and everyone who contributed to the grand total of funds that was raised. We hope to use this funding to support bereaved parents and their families by making their stay in hospital as comfortable as possible."