Macclesfield Mum completes children’s charity challenge with army friends

Janey Brant has done it.

The 40-year-old part-time underwriter took on Action Medical Research’s 'Race the Sun: Lake District' challenge last weekend and conquered it!

“I was absolutely determined” says the mother of one from Macclesfield. “I’d done a lot of training and I really didn’t want to let my teammates down.

“It was a long day and I was absolutely exhausted, but the hard part’s over. I’m determined now to hit my fundraising target!”

Janey was joined by three super-fit teammates: reservists Major Sandy Hennis, Lance Sergeant Sophie Montagne and Lance Corporal Rin Passmore.

They were all part of the first female team to cross Antarctica on foot in 2017.

Their challenge on Sunday 31 August was to cycle 80km, hike to the summit of Helvellyn and canoe a 3km course around Thirlmere. And all before the sun set.

“We started at around 8.15am and managed to cross the finish line in 9 hours 58 minutes.

“It was tough, but I absolutely loved it! I cannot thank my teammates enough – they were amazing and so supportive throughout. I think we were the only team who were singing our way around the course!”

And their good spirits certainly paid off. Not only were they the first female team back, but they were also the fastest canoeists.

Action Medical Research is a UK-wide children’s charity which funds desperately needed research to tackle the diseases that devastate the lives of so many children.

Janey’s son Joshua was born three months early. When he was just five weeks old, he contracted necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) a potentially fatal bowel infection.

“Oh my goodness that was terrible. He was put back on a ventilator and rushed back into intensive care. With the help of life support machines and amazing medical care Joshua made it. He’s now a happy and healthy 18-month-old.  

“Sadly though there are babies who are not as lucky as Joshua. Families and mothers who are grieving the loss of babies and little children. And that’s why I want to help raise funds for Action.”

The team set themselves a target of raising £1,500 and they are well on their way to achieving that.

You can find out more on their Just Giving page.

Action has been funding medical breakthroughs since it began in 1952 including helping to introduce the first polio vaccines in the UK, developing the use of ultrasound in pregnancy and testing the rubella vaccine.

The charity is currently funding research into areas including premature birth, epilepsy, asthma, scarlet fever, cerebral palsy, brain cancer and some rare and distressing conditions.

Action hopes to raise £1m by the end of 2020 as part of its BORN TOO SOON campaign.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Find out more about the Race the Sun: Lake District challenge:
https://action.org.uk/events/team-challenges/race-sun-lake-district

Find out more about Action’s BORN TOO SOON campaign:
https://borntoosoon.action.org.uk/

Find out more about Action’s appeal for donations to help our funded research into NEC:
https://borntoosoon.action.org.uk/NEC

For more information on Action Medical Research contact Peter Denton, Fundraising Communications Officer, on:

T: 01403 327412
E: pdenton@action.org.uk
W: action.org.uk

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Action Medical Research is a leading UK-wide charity saving and changing children’s lives through medical research. For more than 65 years we’ve helped pioneer ways to prevent disease and develop treatments benefiting millions of people. Our research has helped to beat polio in the UK, develop ultrasound in pregnancy, fight meningitis and prevent stillbirths. But we urgently need to develop more new treatments and cures for sick babies and children and we can’t do it without you.

Join our fight for little lives today.

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