Rebecca Leary, from Newcastle, was joined by daughter Evie, 8, for their version of the 2.6 Challenge, which they started on 1 May. They are doing it over 26 days and are now 140 miles and halfway through.
Rebecca works at the John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre at Newcastle University and helps to develop and create the tools needed to support and facilitate translational research. She also manages an EU project called connect4children. She said:
I have been lucky to meet many patients and families living with muscular dystrophy through my work. It has been a privilege to work in a team to offer care and support to these patients.
We were worried about the effect COVID-19 is having on charities and particularly on Muscular Dystrophy UK, so we thought we could combine our daily exercise with some fundraising.
Rebecca wanted to raise £500, but people’s generosity has already far exceeded that target.
Rebecca added:
We live in Newcastle, close to the city and there are a number of cycle paths for us to use and beautiful parks like Jesmond Dene.
CEO at Muscular Dystrophy UK, Catherine Woodhead said
You may have read in the news about the financial challenges charities are facing at this time, as COVID-19 continues to have an impact on everyday life.
Sadly, Muscular Dystrophy UK is far from an exception. We have had to cancel or postpone a number of our events that generate a substantial amount of income, and estimate we will lose £2.8m as a result.
Our priority remains as it always has: making every day count for people with muscle-wasting conditions, as well as their families. We know many of you are scared right now, but we – as always – are here to support you.
We want to continue to offer this support, and we will do so for as long as we can. But we’re worried about what the future holds for us. Because without financial help – whether that’s from the Government or through other means – we will struggle to survive.
You can support Rebecca on her JustGiving page.