A Kirkstall man has completed an epic pedal-powered journey from Vietnam to Cambodia to raise money for Sue Ryder, which runs Wheatfields Hospice in Headingley.
Daniel Clark-Bland, 39, strapped on his cycle helmet and embarked on his incredible adventure in memory of his friend Gemma Sisson-Moore, who received care from Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice in 2020.
Since then, he has taken on an array of fundraising challenges and events, everything from coffee mornings to a memorable trek up Machu Picchu.
Daniel has raised £20,000 for the palliative and bereavement support charity so far.
“When Gemma was in the hospice, I did a couple of quizzes, and it went from there,” he said. “I made a promise to Gemma and her family that I would do whatever I could to ‘pay back’ Sue Ryder/the hospice for their incredible care. Their support enabled her to leave us with such dignity, she was still Gemma right until the end.”
The 500km cycle ride, starting in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam and ending in Siem Reap in Cambodia, saw Daniel powering through soaring temperatures and stunning scenery.
His achievement is even more impressive given his bumpy history with cycling: “I had a bike accident when I was a child so cycling didn’t feature much in my life after that. I only started training for this trip in October, so this was definitely a real challenge for me!
“I now have such as sense of pride and achievement in myself, as well as knowing that I have done something amazing for charity whilst honouring Gemma’s legacy. She really was one in a million.”
Reflecting on what Gemma would have made of his continued fundraising efforts Daniel shared: “She’d be absolutely buzzing. I think she’d take the mick out of me for being so saddle sore, but she’d be really proud.”
Daniel concluded: “I’d like to thank my family and friends, as well as Gemma’s family, for their continued support. I’d also like to express my gratitude to the amazing staff at the hospice, I hope my ongoing fundraising efforts demonstrate how grateful Gemma’s family and I continue to be.”
Clare Humphreys, Community Fundraiser at Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice praised Daniel’s fundraising efforts. She said: “Daniel’s dedication to raising money for the hospice is absolutely remarkable.
“We are so grateful that he keeps taking on these amazing challenges for us. All the money that supporters like Daniel raise ensures that we can continue to provide care to people when they need it most.”
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