EPT Wheelers Fundraising
Alistair Sayers is raising money for The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust
Participants: Andrew Harrison, Charlie Harrison, Ben Austin, Grant Paling, Miguel Vazquez, James Wilby
Story
The Fred Whitton Challenge is, going on rider feedback, the hardest one-day ride in the UK. The event includes all the Lakeland passes, one with a 30% gradient and this comes at 98 miles. The Saddleback Fred Whitton Challenge is a charity event in honour of the late Fred Whitton who was a great advocate for cycle sport in Cumbria and North Lancashire. It is with respect to Fred and his ideals that the event remains just that, ‘a challenge’. Fred, who died aged just 50 in 1998, was an extremely popular member of the Lakes Road Club.
7 riders - Alistair Sayers, Andrew Harrison, Charlie Harrison, Ben Austin, Grant Paling, Miguel Vazquez and James Wilby are attempting this ride in support of The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust. The riders are of varying abilities, however none of them have attempted a ride of this scale before - approximately 114 miles and 3,900m of climbing in a single day. This will be a journey from the frantic hours of training together up to the day itself deep in the Lake District hills.
An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a pregnancy grows outside of the womb. In February last year Alistair's wife was 7 weeks pregnant with their first child when she had a sudden pain in the lower right side of her abdomen. After assessment in A&E, less than 12 hours later she was having emergency surgery to remove both the foetus and her right fallopian tube. Her only symptom had been stomach pain.
Ectopic pregnancy is a common, life-threatening condition that is the leading cause of death in early pregnancy. Although it affects 1 in 80 pregnancies in the UK every year, not many people are aware of the condition or the symptoms. Women who suffer have to face the physical trauma of major invasive treatment, their own mortality, the impact on their future fertility and the sad loss of losing their baby, all very quickly.
The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust believes that the deaths and trauma associated with ectopic pregnancy should be prevented or minimised and seeks to support women and their families through this difficult period of their lives. As well as an epic cycling achievement, this team aims to raise awareness about ectopic pregnancies as early diagnosis improves treatment choice and protects fertility.
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