A keen horse rider from Hornchurch will be riding five miles a day throughout October to raise money for a charity that supports people with high cholesterol.
Becky Wingett, 18, will be riding her horse Bertie a total of 100 miles in memory of her sister Rianna Wingett who died in 2009, a day before her 12th birthday after doing a cross country run.
Rianna had the condition familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), an inherited form of high cholesterol that had not been diagnosed.
The Great Cholesterol Challenge encourages individuals and teams to run, walk, cycle, row or swim 100 miles in October, which is the national cholesterol month.
Becky, who does not have FH, has been riding since she was four-years-old.
She decided to do a slight twist on the challenge by riding her horse instead of cycling or walking.
“I did the Great Cholesterol Challenge last year, but this year my mum suggested that I ride 100 miles on my horse,” said Becky.
“It will be a challenge as I usually ride Bertie for two or three miles a day, but for the challenge I will be doing five miles a day.
“This year is really special as Rianna would have been 21 in November, so I want to do all I can to raise awareness of FH to make sure that everyone who has the condition is diagnosed and treated.”
More than half of the UK adults have high cholesterol, which is known as the silent killer as too much cholesterol in the blood increases the risk of developing heart and other circulatory diseases.
Jules Payne, CEO of HEART UK said: “We are so grateful to the Wingett family and all they do to help raise awareness of FH after the loss of Rianna.
“It’s a tragedy that the diagnosis of FH is so poor, putting men, women and children with FH at risk of early heart attacks and strokes.
“A national screening programme would help identify people with FH. If diagnosed and treated, people with FH can live as long as those without the condition.”
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