Triathlete Megan Higgins has set out to cycle 500km before 30 June to raise funds for dementia research.
Setting out to raise funds for a charity close to her family’s heart, Megan’s funds will go to supporting vital dementia research. Higgins said: “In 2017, my grandma was diagnosed with Dementia and it’s been a tough three years for the whole family.”
Supporting Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society, Higgins is raising funds to aid key research and support the families affected by the disease.
Higgins said: “Because of the current lockdown, those with dementia and those in care homes are really struggling and I wanted to do everything I can to help raise money and awareness.”
Last year, Higgins took part in Alzheimer’s Research UK’s Running Down Dementia event. Where participants walk, jog, or run as far as they can between the months of April and August to raise funds for the charity.
This event changes the format, challenging participants to cycle, either indoor or outdoor, a chosen distance before the 30th of June.
“I began the challenge on the 9th of May and plan to cycle as far as I can and raise as much money as possible,” Higgins commented. “I’m used to mainly doing indoor cycling on Zwift, so I did a lot of that as preparation but now I’m upping my mileage on the roads with the longest ride being 70km.”
The target set by Higgins was to cover 500km and raise £100 for the charity and so far, she’s travelled over 180km. Higgins said: “I decided on this fundraising target as I have done charity events before and was conscious of asking people for money in such a tough time, but I figured every little helps.”
Once she reaches her goal however, Higgins shows no signs of slowing, saying: “When I get to 500km on this event, my plan is to just cycle as far as I can.”
Despite the challenging nature of the event, the encouragement that Higgins has garnered from supporters has kept her motivated, saying: “It’s been amazing. We’ve already passed the fundraising target, but I’d love for that to keep increasing and a dream would be to get towards £500.
“The more people know about Alzheimer's Research UK, the greater their impact, so please spread the word by sharing my page with your friends and family. Thank you in advance for your generosity, it means a lot.”
