A successful rower is to swap her oars for trainers next month when she takes part in the Virgin Money London Marathon 2018 in aid of the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA).
Sophie Oately, from Sandown, is gearing up to take on the 26-mile challenge for the first time on 22nd April.
Although having successfully completed The Great South Run last year, Sophie’s strengths lay within rowing. In fact, she scooped ‘Top Blade’ for Newport Rowing Club earlier this month.
The dietitian has selected a charity close to her heart – MNDA. The MND Association is the only national charity in England, Wales and Northern Ireland dedicated to improve care and support for people affected by MND, fund and promote research, and campaign and raise awareness so the needs of people with MND are addressed by society
Speaking about her upcoming challenge, Sophie has said:
“Motor Neurone Disease is a cruel terminal disease that I work with on a daily basis. My MND patients are some of the most appreciative people and their journeys really touch me emotionally. It’s a disease that we don’t have a cure for and steals people away too young and too quickly.
“On the Isle of Wight we have a must higher percentage of people diagnosed with MND than the national statistic and so it makes it more important as an Island dietitian to raise money for such a worthy cause.
“I managed the Great South Run in 2017 raising money for MND and I want to fight harder to raise even more money putting myself out of my comfort zone!”
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Sophie is hoping to raise £500 and is already over 50% of the way there thanks to her Justgiving page – https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sophie-oatley2.
