The Six LOVE challenge for Lydia Lowe

In early January, one of Goole Tennis Club’s rising stars, seven-year-old Lydia Lowe, suffered a cardiac arrest which has left her with a number of serious health challenges to overcome. The cardiac arrest came from an ischaemic and twisted bowel as a result of an unknown congential bowel malformation.

Lydia was saved and required major abdominal surgery which has left her with a number of serious health challenges to overcome, such as learning to walk, talk, eat and see again. This means a lot of rehab and significant changes to her and her family’s life.

Lydia is only seven, but has already made such an impact on so many people with her incredible personality, style and independence, not to mention her fantastic sporting ability.

Everyone misses having Lydia around, from head coach ‘Super Steve’ (her words, not his), to coach Jake and all her team-mates and friends.

To try and help Lydia and her wonderful family adapt to a new way of living as she continues her recovery, Jake, Goole Tennis member and parent Wayne and Lydia’s godfather Kyle are undertaking a 37-mile run from Nuffield Tennis in Hull back to Goole Tennis, via the Humber Bridge to pay homage to Lydia’s Lincolnshire roots.

The miles turn into 60 kilometers and we are dubbing this the Six Love Challenge and, while it’s a long way, it’s the least we can do given the battle Lydia has already survived and the ones she still has to overcome.

The money raised will go towards neuro-rehabilitation, home adaptations, time in a hyperbaric chamber, a motability vehicle as well as a number of other specialist items to help Lydia reach her full potential - we want the world to be her oyster, free from as many of the barriers that living with a disability can create. The hope is she will get a space at a specialist neuro-rehabilitation centre (only one exists in the country).

If anyone would like to sponsor us on this challenge, on Monday May 6, please do so below, as anything we can raise will make a huge difference to Lydia and her family.