Tackling the Thames
4 May 2012
This month, Martin Lodemore, Patient and Public Liaison Officer (Medicine), is attempting to canoe the length of the Thames in an inflatable canoe in memory of his nephew Tom, who died from sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), aged 27. In the UK, 1,000 young people die each year from epilepsy and around half of these are due to SUDEP. Martin reports on his challenge:
“I was trying to think of something different that I might be able to do in Tom’s memory. Initially, I thought of rowing the Thames, but with the estuary, an inflatable canoe sounded more sensible and more stable. I’m starting on 5 May from Thames Head in Gloucestershire and hopefully finishing the 215-mile journey by 20 May at Southend-on-Sea in Essex, I’ll be camping where I can or finding accommodation. Family, friends and colleagues are planning to swim, walk, run or cycle sections with me on the Thames Path. Training has been tough: weekday evenings, I focus on fitness using an exercise bike, weights and even the Wii; weekends are largely spent getting in the canoe and trying to build up my stamina and strength. In my role at Imperial, working with the national Diabetes Research Network, I travel across England, so it’s been hard to keep up the weekday training. I’m looking forward to getting started on the challenge!”
Support Martin’s challenge or follow his progress here
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