CYCLING enthusiast Helen Hancox will pedal 800 miles from Berlin to London to raise money for Colchester’s new personnel recovery centre.
Helen, 40, of Ardleigh Road, Great Bromley, was diagnosed with bone cancer when she was 22 and had to have her humerus bone removed from her arm and replaced with titanium.
She cannot ride a normal, upright bike because of the pressure it puts on her arm so she uses a recumbent tricycle. She wants to raise money for the personnel recovery centre because her experience made her think of soldiers coming home with injuries.
Helen said: “I wanted to do the trip for charity and I thought of Help for Heroes. I wanted to show what people can do with a disability.”
Helen, who works in sales and marketing from home, will cycle 60 to 70 miles a day. She added: “Originally I was hoping the challenge would raise £1,000 for the new centre, but I have nearly reached that already so I’m hoping to get £2,000.”
Help for Heroes and the Royal British Legion are funding the £6.5million centre, in Berechurch Road, which will open next month.
It will help injured servicemen return to active duty or adapt to civilian life.
Helen’s trip starts on April 29. To sponsor her visit www.bmycharity.com/BerlinToLondon
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