A PERSONAL trainer from Haughton Green has completed a gruelling charity bike ride in memory of her father.
Lizzy Glass has been fundraising and training for a year to raise awareness and money in support of pulmonary fibrosis.
The 32-year-old cycled from Scotland to Manchester over three days, averaging around 80 miles a day.
She arrived at her Wordsworth Road home on Sunday afternoon (September 1), where the whole community was ready to welcome her with a street party.
Pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disease that occurs when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred – a debilitating condition that led to the death of Lizzy’s father Robert.
“My dad sadly passed away suddenly at the age of 54 to an illness we didn’t know anything about,” she explained.
“I’m doing this challenge to tell my story and make as much awareness as I can, so hopefully it will help a family not have to go through what we did.
“My dad was diagnosed then sadly passed four weeks after. It’s not curable but it’s manageable – there are all different stages, you can get tablets to help your lungs so you can live longer.
“But unfortunately it was too late for my dad. If we knew, he might have had a chance. This year, one of my siblings has also been diagnosed therefore this is another reason I will be doing this challenge.”
Lizzy has been raising money by packing bags in supermarkets, as well as holding raffles and street collections.
She also has a JustGiving page, which has already raised over £4,000 for Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis.
The charity provides personalised support to patients and families, and is also committed to funding research to improve the quality of life for people living with pulmonary fibrosis and find a cure for the disease.