One of the young people we work with is raising money for charity to say thank you to his carer.
Christopher Farmer, who is unable to walk unaided, is aiming to cover 20km before July 15th, using his supportive tricycle and therapeutic walking frame.
He’s doing it as part of At Home Superheroes, which inspires people with a disability to take up sports.
Although the challenge does not require participants to raise money for charity, Christopher has chosen to do it in aid of The Pituitary Foundation to give something back to his carer Fiona Fitzgerald.
“Overwhelmed”
Fiona’s husband, Sean, has a type of brain tumour called a prolactinoma, which is a benign pituitary gland tumour. The Pituitary Foundation provides information and support to approximately 70,000 people in the UK who have a pituitary condition.
Fiona says: “Sean and I are completely overwhelmed by Christopher’s gesture and can’t believe that someone would do this to help us. We really can’t thank him and his family enough.”
Fiona has been working for Continued Care in the Northallerton area for eight or nine years now, and has been Christopher’s carer for the past six years.
She says: “Christopher is someone who has daily struggles, can’t walk unaided, and has epilepsy and seizures. And yet he’s willing to get out there and raise money for a cause that doesn’t directly help him at all. He’s the superhero in all of this.”
Christopher, who is 19, is doing the Superhero challenge with a team from Quest 88, who make his trikes and walking frames. His efforts have already received a lot of support and attracted the attention of the local media, such as The Northern Echo, who have covered his story and helped raise awareness of what he is doing and why.
Final leg
Fiona and Sean received an official invite to the challenge launch in Danby Wiske, near Northallerton, where Christopher lives. They will also be walking alongside him for his final leg tomorrow, Saturday, July 11th, as he nears the end of his challenge.
Christopher has already smashed his 20km target and is now aiming for 50km! During the past week, his trike has been adapted to look like a bin lorry, a beer truck and a rally car. Tomorrow, it will be a unimog, a vehicle his dad uses at work for the Northern Power Grid.
Fiona says: “Christopher is loving it, he is doing so well and is always so happy to get out on his trike.”
To make a donation to Christopher’s fundraising effort, click here.
