A Nottinghamshire paramedic who lost his son to a four-year battle with a brain tumour is to cycle more than 1,000 miles to raise money for charity.
Michael White hopes to raise over £100,000 for the Sam White Legacy by cycling from Lands End to John O’Groats.
His son Sam was diagnosed with a brain tumour in March 2009 after suffering frequent headaches and collapsing. After enduring four years of treatment, Sam passed away in September 2013 aged 17.
However, Sam managed to achieve a great deal in his final years, including lobbying MPs in Parliament to raise awareness for brain tumours in young people and carrying the Olympic torch as it made its way to London in 2012.
Mr White, 53, said: “One of his proudest moments was carrying the Olympic torch through Newark during the 2012 games.”
Building on the efforts of its namesake, the Sam White Legacy has endeavoured to help other children and young people suffering from brain tumours by funding specialist equipment and personnel at Queens Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham.
It was set up by Mr White and his wife Pam, who died of lung cancer aged 65 in October 2018.
He said: “We commissioned the charity after the death of my son in 2013. So far, we've probably raised between £160,000 and £200,000 over the past six years.
"We’re proud of being a local charity. Everything we raise goes towards our aims as a charity.”
One of the most notable purchases made possible by the charity so far was a mock MRI scanner at QMC to help both young and old suffering from ‘scanxiety’ through the process of a scan.
Mr White added: “MRI scanners are very noisy and claustrophobic. It’s a daunting experience.
“If it can help children have an MRI scan without aesthetic, everyone wins”
The duty operations manager in the East Midlands Ambulance Service also hopes to use the money raised from this ride to enable children suffering from brain tumours to go on respite trips with their families to Centre Parcs.
He said: “The charity reflects how we were as parents with Sam. We went to Centre Parcs because it wasn’t too far from QMC. It gave us respite and helped us feel normal again.
“We want other families in similar situations to experience it.”
As part of his training for the gruelling ride, Michael will ride 180 miles across the East Midlands in three days later this month, before taking on the mammoth challenge on August 25, and he hopes to finish by September 7.
He added: “I’m a novice when it comes to cycling, I did the Nottingham Bike Ride last week and it almost killed me.
“It’s the biggest sporting challenge of my life but I have a very good team with some experienced cyclists around me."
You can support Michael’s ride and the Sam White Legacy by donating here .
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