Haywards Heath dad cycling for a cure

A Haywards Heath father is cycling 1,000 miles for a charity to help his son, who has a muscular dystrophy.
By Matthew Doughty
Published 24th Jul 2015, 16:31 BST

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Action Duchenne fundraiser Rob Laid with his son Alex. He is cycling 1,000 for the charity - picture submittedAction Duchenne fundraiser Rob Laid with his son Alex. He is cycling 1,000 for the charity - picture submitted
Action Duchenne fundraiser Rob Laid with his son Alex. He is cycling 1,000 for the charity - picture submitted

Rob Laid, along with a team of 32 national riders, will cycle the length of Britain to fund research and raise awareness about Duchenne muscular dystrophy for his son Alex.

By riding from Lands End to John O’Groats the team is aiming to raise over £70,000 for Action Duchenne, the national charity dedicated to improving the lives of those with this fatal condition.

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Duchenne mainly affects boys and causes severe muscle wasting. Most boys with the condition are in wheelchairs by the age of 12, with the condition becoming life threatening during their teens. Alex, five, is losing muscle strength every day. It is imperative treatments are developed as soon as possible to halt his deterioration and offer hope to his and other families affected by this currently incurable condition.

Rob said: “Alex was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in June last year and I am determined to make sure he sees a cure. I have been a lazy cyclist for years but am now really looking forward to the event. The irony of me trying to get fit whilst Alex’s muscles waste is never lost on me, and helps keep me focused with the training.”

The riders will be pushing off on July 26 and are hoping to complete their journey 10 days later on August 4. Paul Lenihan MBE, the CEO of Action Duchenne is taking part in the event.

He said: “This is the biggest fundraising event that Action Duchenne has ever done. We’ve been blown away by the dedication and support of families like the Laid’s. Every penny raised will go towards funding cutting edge research and helping boys like Alex across the UK.”

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Duchenne muscular dystrophy is the most common fatal genetic disorder diagnosed in childhood, affecting approximately 1 in every 3,500 live male births (around 2500 people in the UK).

Established in 2001 Action Duchenne aims to support and promote innovative research into a cure and has funded over £4.5 million of research to date, as well as providing resources for families.

If you would like to support Rob, please visit www.justgiving.com/rob-laid

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Related topics:Haywards HeathBritain