Alive and well

Coast to Coast Team Raise Money for Candice

13 July 2011

A FITNESS instructor at a Birchwood gym was one of 28 people who cycled coast to coast to raise money for a rare syndrome, which claimed the life of a young Warrington woman last year.

The group cycled the 207 mile Trans Pennine Trail followed by a 29 mile run and hope to have raised around £6,000 for the Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) Support Group. The charity was chosen in honour of Candice Marie Roberts, of Appleton, who tragically died on her 26th birthday, August 23, last year.

Event organiser Marc Thompson, a member at Alive & Well Gym, on Birchwood Park, and his fitness instructor Matt Percy, who works at the gym, were just two of the team who cycled from Hornsea on the Yorkshire coast to Southport on the Lancashire coast and then ran from Southport to Stockton Heath.

Matt, 22, from Culcheth, who has raised nearly £700 for the charity through sponsorship, said: “It was hard going as much of the cycling was off-road. Then the 29 mile run on the final day really took it out of us as our legs were already tired from the cycling. I have to be quite fit for my job, but many of the other participants do normal jobs so it was a fantastic achievement for everyone who took part. It was for a good cause and that’s what kept us going.”

Marc, who works at HEROtsc, on Birchwood Park, said: “I went to school with Candice and was in her sister’s class so I asked some family and friends if they wanted to get together to raise money. I asked Matt who works at my gym to join us. Candice's family are helping to raise awareness of the illness and how to spot the early symptoms so we hope this event has helped towards achieving that.”

GBS affects the nervous system. First symptoms are usually tingling and numbness in the fingers and toes leading to a weakness in the arms and legs and, in some cases, complete paralysis of the limbs.

Around 80% of patients make a total recovery but many spend three months or more in hospital and take a year to recover. Death from GBS is rare occurrence but does occur in around 5% of cases.

The GBS Support Group helps those affected by the illness. It provides information and support to sufferers and their families and aims to raise awareness of the illnesses amongst both medical professionals and the general public. It also raises funds for cutting-edge research into the illnesses.

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/Coast2Coast2Warrington

For more information on GBS visit www.gbs.org.uk