It pushed her to her limits, but a teen has raised thousands of pounds to go towards a cure for her debilitating condition by biking 100 miles from her home.
Alia Jones (14) suffers with constant extreme exhaustion due to suffering mitochondrial disease.
But hope has come from The Lily Foundation, a charity set up to find a cure which the family say it’s close to doing.
But like all charities, its funding was due to be hit by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Alia is classed as among the most vulnerable so has been self-isolating with her whole family just outside Spalding.
So to raise funds she took up the challenge of riding her static exercise bike for the equivalent of a 100 miles.
Dad Steve Jones said at times Alia pushed so hard to reach her target it left her ill.
But she still achieved it last weekend with two days to spare.
“We’re just really, really proud and so chuffed for her,” said Steve who previously likened the feat to a healthy man attempting an ultramarathon.
“It made her a little ill towards the end and there were a few days where she was so tired she couldn’t do anything.
“But she worked out what she needed to do and ended up finishing it with a couple of days to spare.
“The first we knew she completed it is that she came downstairs screaming with delight.
“She was absolutely ecstatic. It’s such a big achievement for someone with her condition.”
In total Alia has raised a fantastic £2,544, smashing her initial target of £500.
Over 100 supporters donated to the Spalding Academy pupil.
“The Lily Foundation are over the moon with what she’s achieved,” Steve continued. “Alia herself is just delighted.”
