Chloe Kirby is running The Big Half 2025 to honour her five-year-old son, Blake, who is severely sight impaired.
Diagnosed with optic nerve hypoplasia and nystagmus at just 11 weeks old, Blake has defied expectations, regaining partial vision in one eye. Now, as Chloe and her partner, Corey, take on their first-ever half marathon, they're not only marking a personal milestone but also showing their son just how much they believe in him.
Doctors initially believed Blake to be completely blind in both eyes. They discovered his optic nerves were underdeveloped, making it difficult for visual information to reach his brain. But it was just before Blake's first birthday that doctors were astonished by what they discovered at one of his regular check-ups.
Chloe explains: “His sight had gone from total blindness to partially functional vision in one eye. His sight has continued to improve, so much so that at his last Great Ormond Street [Hospital] visit we found out he has functional vision in his right eye now.”
Although still blind in his left eye, Blake's vision has improved significantly and despite ongoing challenges, he has adapted incredibly well. He has regular ophthalmology appointments at a children’s hospital near to his home in Birmingham, and the family travels to London every six months to be seen at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Blake is also supported by charities such as the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and that’s why his parents were keen to use The Big Half 2025 to fundraise.
The RNIB is the UK's leading sight loss charity, working to remove barriers for people with visual impairments. They advocate for a fully accessible society where design and environments are inclusive by default - benefiting everyone.
“Without charities like the RNIB sight loss wouldn't be anywhere near as supported as it is,” Chloe says. “Their practical and emotional support to parents of children with visual impairments is so helpful. They even give children with sight loss festive magic with accessible letters from Santa in braille and audio so no child is left out!”
It was through the RNIB that Chloe and Corey discovered The Big Half.
Chloe had been keen to take on a fundraising challenge for some time, and during the drive home from a refreshing trip to Cornwall in April, she began Googling. She signed them both up on the spot, saying, “We’ve got six months to sort ourselves out!” Their fundraising target is £350 each, and Chloe is already well on her way, having raised more than £200 so far.
It’s also a significant personal milestone for the 25-year-old - it will be her first half marathon and her first mass participation event. Chloe began running a few years ago thanks to the Couch to 5K app. She has now completed the nine-week programme twice.
“It only took half an hour to do a session,” she explains. “But I had a lot of anxiety about running in public.”
Chloe first began running with the support of her nan, who would look after Blake while she headed for 30-minute sessions. She often chose quiet, off-the-beaten-path routes to avoid crowds and ease her anxiety about running in public.
After completing the nine-week Couch to 5K programme twice, her confidence has steadily grown, however, - and she now runs comfortably along main roads. As she trains for The Big Half, Chloe has also started to look forward to those training runs as a bit of 'me time'.
She says: “As soon as I step out the door, I’m on my own for an hour. There are some beautiful views where I run, and when I finish, it feels like such an achievement.”
By taking on The Big Half, she hopes to show Blake just how amazing he is, as well as her unwavering support for him.
“It's my way of showing Blake how much I support him. Blake goes through his struggles every day without choice. To him, they're not struggles, but to someone like me, if I woke up tomorrow and I had the vision that Blake did, it would feel like the world had ended."
