17 April 2025

Rayid loves a challenge and is running the London Marathon just 10 months after he and his wife had twin boys.

The dad of twins decided to fundraise for Twins Trust, after reading in the press about how much work is done by the charity for families of twins, triplets or more.

Rayid and his wife Rachel had twin boys, Remy and Luca, in June 2024. Having already completed the London Marathon in 2021, Rayid knows the route and is looking forward to the event on 27 April.

He said: “Our boys were born in June 2024. We had a few complications with our pregnancy at the beginning. Around the first 10 weeks, we didn’t know if they were going to be healthy. We were in and out of hospital and unsure if they would be ok. They were born safely and healthy. It wasn’t until they were born that we realised the risk factors in twin pregnancies. The statistics were shocking to us.

“I was reading about the work Twins Trust was doing about Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) and the research the charity does to ensure that twins are born safely and healthy.

“We know that if we had had any complications during our pregnancy, Twins Trust would have been there to help us.”

Rayid said he and Rachel had been learning about the unique challenges faced by families with multiples, adding: “There are lots of unique challenges that you face. It’s great to have a network of people to connect with and get support from, via the Twins Trust Facebook groups and twins clubs too.

“It’s so different having multiples compared to singletons, and the challenges you have. The research that Twins Trust has done shows that it costs at least £20,000 more in the first year of having multiples, compared to having two single babies in succession. It’s about creating awareness and telling people about the hardships. You’re at a disadvantage when it comes to maternity leave and maternity pay when you have multiples.”

A month after the boys were born, Rayid learnt he had been given a place for the marathon thanks to the ballot. He said it’s not been easy fitting in training while working and raising the boys in their first year.

He added: “It’s a great reason to raise money and raise awareness for Twins Trust. It means a lot more when you are running the London Marathon for a charity.

“The first three months were difficult, but it’s got better and better as the months go by. The boys have a good routine now. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do but it’s super rewarding at the same time as you watch them develop and start to play together.”

Support Rayid’s fundraising via his JustGiving page.