Martin Lowe, 61, from Colehill lost his battle against Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) suddenly on 18 August after being struck down by this rare condition less than two years ago.

MSA is a degenerative neurological disorder that shuts down the autonomic nervous system, making the sufferer lose their independence until breathing and speech becomes affected. Currently there are only 3,300 people in the UK and Ireland living with it, which means that most people will never have heard of the condition, including health professionals.

Martin’s 28-year-old son Adam together with his girlfriend Helen Read, 30, are paddle boarding 260km (160miles) from Bristol to London, to raise money for this charity. Adam and Helen need to portage 125 locks, go through three tunnels and cope with traffic and choppy water on the Thames. Helen will be the second woman ever to complete this gruelling water challenge.

And the determination doesn’t stop there. Daisy Lowe, 23, will also be raising money for the MSA Trust. In October, COVID restrictions permitting, she will be cycling from London to Paris in 24 hours – a ride of 260km (160 miles) from Big Ben to the Eiffel Tower.

Both siblings have already raised over £1,500 each for their challenges.

Adam said, “Unfortunately, being such a rare condition, there is no cure, no prevention and all the treatments are currently experimental. The MSA Trust is the only charity in the UK working to fund research into causes and treatments while also supporting sufferers and their families. This is the kind of adventure that Dad would have loved to do himself before he became ill, so it seemed like an apt way to honour him.”

Daisy added, “We are hoping to raise as much money as we can for this amazing charity so that they can continue their essential work. We are so fortunate to have had them by our sides during our Dad’s illness.”

If you would like to sponsor Daisy or Adam, please visit their Just Giving Pages

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/london2parismsa

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/bristollondonpaddle