Veteran Whitehaven cyclist Gerard McCarten will be soon meeting representatives of the UK Macular Society to hand over a cheque for £1,477.81.
It’s the amount Gerard has raised from his marathon cycling fundraiser outside his Hensingham home to ride his bicycle the height of the tallest mountain on Earth.
Mount Everest is considered the highest in the world as measured above sea level, at 8,849 metres but a mountain in Hawaii called Mauna Kea rises to a height 10,205 metres (33,481 feet) from its base 6,000 metres below sea level to 4,205 m above sea level.
Gerard’s late wife Margaret had a rare genetic eye disorder called Sorsby Fundus Dystrophy (SFD). She died 12 months ago last October and she has been his inspiration for trying to make people aware of the need for research to find a cure for macular disease.
SFD is caused by one of several mutations in a gene called TIMP3, or chromosome 22q. It is an incurable, inherited eye disease which causes sight loss. Symptoms are with the mutation causing cells to make a harmful version of the TIMP3 protein.
Jericho Primary School have been very supportive and thanks to the generosity of the parents of the pupils at the Whitehaven school a huge amount of £352.95 was added to the fund.
Thanks to the organising skills of RH teacher Allyson Quayle and the staff at Jericho the children had followed the intrepid cyclist with weekly progress charts in class,
In fact Gerard, along with long-time cycling friends Mike Cowley and Ged Brear, completed the ascent of Mauna Kea at Jericho School.
Gerard said: “Our JustGiving page has now closed and the amount of money donated has been absolutely fantastic. I would like to thank all my friends and family who have donated”.
There were also thanks to Jericho Primary School, Myers and Bowman-Toyota and Cardiosport.
Gerard has also added a little about living as a carer for Margaret and her sight loss.
He says: “While it was a big blow we were determined not to let her deteriorating loss of sight spoil our lives. We did everything as normal as possible, Walks, shopping, holidays and family get-togethers.
“We had trips and falls but we learnt as we went along. We also had terrific holidays and laughs along the way.
“On our first visit to New Zealand, a coach tour, I made an inauspicious start with Kelvin our coach driver. We had hardly got off the plane after 24 hours flying when he had arranged a meet-and-greet tour of Christchurch harbour for all the coach tour members.
“He had made a stop and invited us to take a short stroll across some open fellside to look down on Christchurch harbour at night.
“We had made friends with a couple of Aussies. As the three made their way back to the coach I had taken a couple of extra photos and arrived back at the coach, carrying my rucksack and camera, slightly behind them.
“Kelvin was by the coach door helping his charges get on board. I took my seat next to Margaret and started putting my bag under the seat out of harm’s way. When I looked up Kelvin (we hadn’t been introduced at this time) was standing over me.
“Where have you come from?” he said sternly. “From Whitehaven,” I replied, slightly puzzled.
“No! just now. Don’t you know this is not a public bus but a private coach. You’ll have to get off.”
“By now Margaret was laughing and our new Aussie friends, sat across the aisle, were in stitches.
“My bedraggled appearance from the 24-hour flight, the rucksack and the look of a back-packer made Kelvin believe I was trying to gadge a lift back to Christchurch!
“We met again at breakfast when Margaret and I sat with Kelvin and had a laugh about the previous night.
“I went in search of a cup for Margaret’s coffee, but you know what it’s like in a new country, things are different.
“There were no cups with handles, just small bowls, too small for cereals but sufficiently large for tea or coffee.
“I poured Margaret’s coffee and milk and sat down. Kelvin watched as Margaret reached out to touch the cup then move her hands in search of the handle. Her hands made more movement around the cup when Kelvin clicked.
“Margaret, your husband has brought you the sugar basin!”
It set the tone for the rest of the trip. A little later, when we were all sat ready for the off, Kelvin switched on his microphone and regaled the full bus of the goings on the night before and at breakfast.
“The ice was well and truly broken, we all got along famously and had the most wonderful holiday.”
Every day, around 300 people are diagnosed with macular disease. It’s the biggest cause of sight loss in the UK. Macular disease is cruel and isolating. It steals your sight, your independence, and your ability to do the things you love.
It can affect people of any age – even children – but not enough is known about why, and there is still no cure.
Gerard says: “There is only one way to beat macular disease for good. We must fund much more research now, until we find a cure, or find treatments that stop it in its tracks.
“Together we can fund the research that will find the cure. Together we can make sure the next generation won’t have their sight, confidence, and love of life stolen from them by macular disease.”
