Sheffield man tackles 700-mile Greek challenge in memory of friend who died
An estimated 150,000 people in the UK are living with pulmonary fibrosis
A Sheffield man has cycled 700 miles through Greece in memory of one of his best friends who died aged just 35.
James Samuel, 33, climbed around 50,000ft during a gruelling nine-day challenge to raise awareness for two causes.
His friend, Will Cowling, died last year from pulmonary fibrosis, a terminal lung condition, while his uncle is living with the rare neurological condition multiple system atrophy (MSA).
James said: “The whole experience is one I’ll never forget, and knowing I was doing it in memory of my friend made it all worthwhile.
“I expected to have him in my life for many more years, so losing him to pulmonary fibrosis at such a young age was incredibly difficult.”
Starting in Igoumenitsa, James’ journey took him through the mountains of northern Greece, across the mainland and down to the Mani Peninsula before finishing in Kalamata.
“There were definitely days I questioned whether I was going to make it, but knowing why I was doing it made it much easier to keep going.
James raised £1,627, which will be shared between Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis (APF) and the Multiple System Atrophy Trust.
“I’m really proud of what I managed to do, but more importantly I’m really proud that it has raised money for APF and hopefully helped a few more people understand pulmonary fibrosis and the impact it has on people and their families.”
An estimated 150,000 people in the UK are living with pulmonary fibrosis.
Daniel Saxton, chief executive of Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis, said: “By taking on this incredible challenge and sharing Will’s story, James is not only raising vital funds, he’s helping more people understand pulmonary fibrosis and why we urgently need greater awareness, better care and more research.
“We’re very grateful to James for everything he has done in memory of his friend.”
To find out more about pulmonary fibrosis and how to take action for people affected by the condition during September, visit: https://takeactionforpf.co.uk