A Hertfordshire woman has marked her 40th birthday by completing a stage of the men’s Tour de France in memory of her friend who died from a brain tumour.
Lydia Fenny, from Cheshunt, dedicated her 130km L’Etape du Tour cycle ride to her university friend, Phil Blackmore, who was just 31 when he died of a glioma in December 2016.
Lydia, who has raised £7,000 for Brain Tumour Research, said: “When Phil was diagnosed, we were in our thirties, having met at the University of Birmingham and staying friends after. To lose him so young was devastating. He never got the chance to reach a landmark age, and that reality has stayed with me.
“It’s shocking how little funding goes into this area, and I don’t want others to face what Phil’s family and friends have been through.”
The pioneering female cyclist climbed 4,500m – the equivalent of more than 13 Eiffel Towers stacked – in just eight hours and 40 minutes. She was among just 6.69% of participants who were women, taking on the same gruelling course Phil completed a decade earlier, in 2015.
Phil competing in the L’Etape du Tour in 2015
“Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer,” said Lydia. “As long as I’m still here, I’m going to take the opportunity to have experiences to live life because Phil can’t. He lived life hard and would’ve been proud of what I achieved, albeit showing his competitive side and comparing our timings. I’ll keep pushing myself and supporting this cause for as long as I can, because stories like Phil’s shouldn’t keep happening. We need change, and we need it now.”
Your donations enable us to fund the scientists who are tirelessly searching for a cure at our Research Centres of Excellence. Click here to contribute to Lydia’s fundraiser and give hope to all those affected.
