If I can help prevent just one asthma attack I’ll be happy
Our incredible supporter Natalie took on the mighty London to Paris cycling challenge to raise awareness of just how serious asthma can be. Here she tells us all about it.
Natalie in front of the Eiffel Tower
I was born with asthma and like for many others, it’s a hereditary disease.
Since having my daughter Alaia, 2 and a half, I’ve become more aware of my own health and of hers. I wanted to do something to raise awareness and fundraise for Asthma + Lung UK which is why I took on the London to Paris cycling challenge, cycling 340 miles in 4 days.
I know just how important it is to have support
I’ve always been lucky to have support from my GP so I feel like my asthma is well controlled. I usually only have to use my inhaler in hay fever season or in the cold. But I know that not everyone has support like that.
I’m a nurse too so I know just how important it is to have that support. It’s such a tragedy that asthma can cause deaths that would have been avoidable if only it had been managed properly.
A personal challenge and a fundraising challenge
My daughter is 2 and half now and I finally feel like my body and mind are my own again. I’m 40 next year too so I wanted to do something for myself. So it was a personal challenge as well as a fundraising challenge.
My daughter turned two in May and so I registered for the challenge in May, to take place in September and I spent the summer training. It’s been over 8 years since I last did a charity cycle, which was from Vietnam to Cambodia. The London to Paris was even more challenging! France is hilly and we were cycling 100 miles and up to 10 hours a day. It didn’t help that we got lost one day because our GPS ran out of battery! But I really enjoyed it.
Don’t let asthma hold you back
I posted a lot on my Instagram to take people along my journey with me, from getting the sleeper train down from Aberdeen, cycling from Greenwich to Dover, getting the ferry to Dunkirk and then cycling through the hilly French countryside before finally arriving in Paris.
It took me about a week to recover but I did it! Don’t let asthma hold you back - if I can do it so can you.
I also took on a Kilt Walk, walking 26 miles along an old railroad track to help boost my fundraising too.
Altogether I raised over £5,000 for Asthma + Lung UK. It would be amazing if we could possibly find a cure for asthma. And if I can just make sure even one person just checks their inhaler is in date and help prevent an asthma attack, I’ll be happy.
Feeling inspired to take on your own challenge? Check out our range of events. And if you don’t see anything you fancy, you can choose your own event to fundraise for us. We’ll support you every step of the way.
We empower people with lung conditions to make changes that can be transformative.
Please donate now to help make sure people with lung conditions can live well this year.
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