POMONA local Luke Bordessa is getting ready to ride over 1100km in just seven days as he pedals to raise funds for two local girls in need.
Luke, who runs a stall My Wooden Heart at Eumundi Markets, will leave the Sunshine Coast on Sunday 23 August and ride to the Central Coast by Saturday 29 August.
Luke, 41, is taking up the challenge to raise funds for Jameela Cox Bowden and Ruby Adams.
“When I found out what had happened to both these beautiful young girls I tried to imagine myself in the position of the girls’ parents and I felt I could do something to raise funds for their ongoing care,” he said.
“I’m not to fittest or fastest middle-age man in lycra and doing this ride is a huge challenge for me.”
Jameela is just four-years-old and lives in Coolum and was severely brain damaged after a car accident 18 months ago and now needs life-long care for therapies and specialists.
Jameela struggles to walk, talk and eat with a PEG in her stomach to help with food intake.
Luke said he met Jameela’s dad Jason through friends and – with a young son, himself – thought he would get on the bike he’s not ridden for years and get pedalling for a cause.
Luke will ride from Jameela’s home in Coolum to Ruby’s in Killarney Vale, just north of Sydney.
Ruby suffers from Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a genetic disorder with many complications and very expensive medicine that costs her family about $1000 per month.
In addition, Ruby also has a birth defect known as a sliding hiatus hernia where the diaphragm doesn’t attach to the oesophagus allowing the stomach to enter into the chest cavity with the lungs.
Luke hopes to raise $15,000 to help the girls and their families with respite time and the costs of care services.
To help Luke as he pedals for a cause, visit www.gofundme.com/wtvyes
