AN INSPIRATIONAL dad from Malvern has begun a gruelling challenge to cycle 1,000 miles from John O’Groats to Land’s End.
Ben Lindon, who has been through 90 cycles of chemotherapy to date after he was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2008, is hoping to travel 100 miles a day in his ten-day challenge.
And Ben appears to be enjoying it by posting regular pictures to his Instagram and Twitter accounts.
The Malvern Road resident wants to raise thousands of pounds for Brain Tumour Research and Evesham Community Hospital.
After suffering increasingly severe seizures in September last year, Ben had to go through an excruciating year-long rehab battle which he started at the Worcestershire hospital.
But with the help of a personal trainer and through sheer determination, he has fought back to full fitness.
Ben, who has already completed the Three Peaks Challenge in 2013 and the London Marathon in 2014, has been joined by close friend, Dr David Williams, who was his GP when he was first diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Before starting the challenge, he said: “I’m keen to continue to my pledge made back in 2013 to raise funds for pioneering national charity, Brain Tumour Research, by doing something every year.
“I’ve run marathons and climbed mountains for this charity and I will continue to do so as long as I’m able to.
“My inspiration through all this is knowing how lucky I am. I was told I couldn’t have children after aggressive radiotherapy and would have to continue chemotherapy for the rest of my life.
“I’ve been blessed as I now have a beautiful daughter, Martha Rose, who is nearly four and a mischievous two-year-old son, Sidney George.
“I’d like to show them ordinary people like me can overcome anything if they fight. If you can leave a legacy, this is mine. I think it’s worth 1,000 miles of bad weather and a very sore bum,” he added.
Visit Mr Lindon’s JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Ben-Lindon4 to donate or for more information.
