Help Claire Lomas reach her London Marathon total
Paralysed eventer Claire Lomas has had a boost to her fundraising efforts with a push on the H&H forum.
Claire has been confined to a wheelchair since being injured in a fall at Osberton Horse Trials in 2007.
But on Sunday she will line up with thousands of sportsmen and women and fundraisers to tackle the London Marathon in aid of Spinal Research.
Claire is one of just two people in the UK being trained to use the Re-Walk suit – a powered exoskeleton that allows the wearer to walk with crutches.
She has been training for the past 12 weeks (see picture) and has progressed to being able to walk two-thirds of a mile in 67 minutes.
So she expects to be on the Marathon course for around three weeks.
But Claire has signed up some celebrity guests to walk with her – including BBC presenter Clare Balding, tennis star Tim Henman, Olympic rower Sir Matthew Pinsett and the Radio 1 Breakfast Show’s “Comedy Dave”.
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“I am very grateful to everyone who has signed up to sponsor or walk with me,” said Claire.
“It’s along way but I shall keep on going, with a few breaks as it’s quite hard on my wrists.”
Claire hopes to raise £50,000 for Spinal Research and as this story went on the web had reached £12,409.
To sponsor her, go to www.justgiving.com/Claire-Lomas or text legs60 £(the amount you want to sponsor Claire), to 70070.
Picture courtesy of John Giles/PA Wire
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A self-confessed newshound, farmer’s daughter and journalist of many years' experience, Charlotte worked on regional papers before joining H&H in 2007. A regular rider, she visited Ireland in 2010 to investigate the fate of Irish horses through the recession, to much acclaim, and reported from the FEI General Assembly in Rio de Janeiro in 2011. She left Horse & Hound in March 2013.