A son from Letchworth rowed 100km in 12 hours on Saturday to raise £910 for cancer research in honour of his mum, who has terminal cancer.
Ryan Adams completed the mammoth rowathon at The Hub gym, off Arden Press Way – going almost non-stop from 6am to 6pm.
His mum fought off aggressive bowel cancer, with surgeons removing a tumour the size of a rugby ball – but six months after she finished chemotherapy, a CT scan revealed an enlarged kidney.
Ryan said: “A subsequent MRI scan revealed that the cancer had returned and taken hold in many parts of her body. Doctors have now confirmed that my mum’s cancer is incurable.
“Knowing your mum will have her life cut short is incredibly hard, but to watch someone you love suffer with cancer and know that there is nothing you can do to take the pain away is utterly unbearable.
“I wanted to do something to raise money and decided upon this challenge.”
Ryan originally aimed to raise £500 for Cancer Research UK, but has so far raised £910 – almost double his target.
He took scheduled breaks during the rowathon to eat, rehydrate and stretch his muscles, and finished the Herculean 100km rowathon shortly before 6pm.
Asked afterwards how the challenge had gone, Ryan told the Comet: “Very, very well – very, very painful!
“It was a long 12 hours and I used it all, but I completed 100,000 metres. It went right down to the wire but all in all it was a fantastic day.”
He added: “It was painful, but I know this is merely a very small percentage of what people who are suffering from, or who have suffered with, cancer go through on a daily basis.
“To anyone else who has a loved one or is experiencing anyone living with cancer, I just want to say stay strong and be positive – together we can beat this awful disease.”
To find out more or donate to Ryan’s fundraising, see justgiving.com/fundraising/Ryan-Adams10.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here