A BROMSGROVE cyclist has been inspired to take on the London to Paris 24-hour charity challenge after a kidney scare.
Andy Hurst will be putting aside his own health problems to take on the big challenge as part of his mission to raise money for BEN, the Motor and Allied Trades Benevolent Fund.
Andy will be saddling up next Friday (June 5) to make the journey from Greenwich Park to Newhaven. Then, after a ferry crossing to Dieppe, he will jumping straight back into his stirrups for a ride through the night to the Eiffel Tower.
Andy said he decided to take on the challenge after he was rushed into hospital with a kidney condition a year ago.
He added he was at a cycling event in Wolverhampton when he felt a pain in his stomach, like a tummy ache, but it built up and became unbearable.
“It turned out to be nephrotic syndrome, a condition in which filters in the kidney don’t work properly and large amounts of protein leak from your blood into your urine,” Andy said.
He added it was under control now but he had to visit the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in Birmingham, every eight weeks.
Andy said: “I wanted to do something that proves that despite ongoing medical problems it is still possible to challenge your body to the extreme.”
Visit www.justgiving.com/AndyHurst24hr if you would like to support Andy’s cause.