A landlady from Bittaford near Ivybridge is taking on the challenge of running 10 miles a day for 100 days, Meanwhile her daughter is walking five kilometres a day, both in aid of The Brain Tumour Charity.
Dawn Michelin who is landlady of the Horse and Groom and daughter Chantelle want to help to fund research. Dawn has been hit hard. She lost her father ten years ago this April also her best friend Hazel, her cousin Andrew and grandad James, all to brain tumours. It’s not the first time she’s done her bit for the charity as in 2020 she walked no less than eight million steps to raise funds for the charity.
Dawn said: “I came up with the challenge because I wanted to do something crazy in my Dad’s memory, while also helping people on similar situations – letting them know people care. After the eight million steps in 2020, I knew I had to make it more challenging to get people’s attention, although sitting in a bath of baked beans would be really challenging for me as I hate being still!”
Dawn herself suffers from ankylosing spondylitis, an inflammatory disease which causes joint stiffness, as well as heart, and autoimmune disease.
She explained: “I was told that I would be in a wheelchair by the time I was forty and I wasn’t going to let that happen.
“My right side suffers from numbness, so I have a limp. I’m on weekly biologic injections these help me greatly.
“I’m literally taking it one day at a time. I run in the morning before work, as that’s when my pain is lowest. The toughest part is the first five miles, as it takes me a while to get going -and eating enough calories is actually difficult.
“I’m sensible with my runs, slowing it down when needed, running indoors as well as outdoors. I’ve been training myself for this since last October so I know I’m mentally strong enough - it’s just a case of not listening to my legs!”
Dawn’s Daughter Chantelle Michelin, who works in funeral care, is doing her own 100 day challenge by walking five kilometres a day.
https://www.justgiving.com/page/dawns-shuffling
https://www.justgiving.com/page/chantelle
Visit: thebraintumourcharity.org/