‘Gentle and loving’ Emily was diagnosed with a cruel disease that has no cure
Craig Chadburn says the challenge is ‘daunting’ but he hopes to raise money to help Emily’s family(Image: Craig Chadburn)
A man is cycling 4,750 miles across Scandinavia and Southern Europe to raise money for the family of a Cottingham girl with a life-limiting disease. Emily Atkin, 13, was diagnosed with Juvenile Batten Disease – a rare genetic condition which causes sufferers to lose their sight, speech and mobility skills over time – four years ago.
Since then, Emily has become blind and people outside her family struggle to understand her speech. While she can still walk, it is very challenging and she hates going up and down slopes.
When Emily’s mum and dad, Rebecca and Ricky Atkin, first spoke to Hull Live in 2022, they told us how she was the “most gentle and loving girl” and “does not have a bad bone in her body”.
After hearing Ricky talk about his daughter’s condition at an event, fellow parent Craig Chadburn was deeply moved. Craig said: “I thought, ‘I’ve got three healthy kids, what would I do?’
“Would I be brave enough to stand up in front of all these people and talk and try to drum up support and fundraising? I’m not sure if I would. For about three or four days afterwards I kept thinking about it, that poor family.”
Emily Atkin, pictured before her tragic diagnosis with Juvenile Batten Disease in January 2022(Image: Becky Atkin)
Craig offered to join the fundraising effort for Emily to have a more accessible home. The main change needed is converting the family’s garage into a downstairs bedroom for Emily as her mobility continues to decline.
The challenge Craig picked was cycling 4,750 miles from North Cape in Norway to Tarifa in Spain. Craig, who already has Land’s End to John O’Groats and an Iron Man under his belt, said the prospect is “very daunting”.
Taking him through 14 countries, the route includes several mountain ranges, including but not limited to The Pyrenees, Sierra Nevada, The Montsec Range, and The Alps. Planned for the summer of this year, he will start with 24/7 daylight in Scandinavia and end with the extreme high temperatures in the South of France and Spain.
Craig said he predicts the temperature could get up to 45C and will be “absolutely brutal”. He plans to undertake the whole challenge over 30 days and has no rest days planned.
The fundraiser for ‘Adaptations to keep Emily safe and independent at home’ has raised £321 out of its target of £20,000. The donation page can be found on gofundme here.
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