Paul Gentry, a 63-year-old father from Stratton, Wiltshire, has surpassed a significant fundraising milestone after a decade of taking on gruelling endurance races in memory of his teenage daughter, Izzy, who tragically died from meningitis at age 16. He has raised over £50,300 for the charity Meningitis Now.
A Decade of Dedication
Since Izzy's sudden death, Gentry has completed dozens of extreme challenges. Izzy, who was studying for her A-levels, fell ill with a simple headache and was rushed to intensive care, falling into a coma within 48 hours. Gentry was also instrumental in the national campaign to secure the meningitis B vaccine for university students.
Eight Events in One Year
This year, Gentry is tackling eight demanding endurance events, including continuous 100-kilometre walks. His latest race was a gruelling trek in North Yorkshire that took over 28 hours to complete. He still has three more extreme walking challenges before the end of the year, including the Thames Path and Gower Peninsula routes.
Paul Gentry said: “I really enjoyed the event, as always, the event was really well organised, and all the staff were absolutely brilliant. I’ve completed 19 of Ultra’s events in total, as well as 13 other events, with the grand total raised just over £50,300.”
Support for Fundraisers
The national organisation that runs the extreme walking events hosts more than 20 challenges across the country each year. These events have helped fundraisers raise as much as £1.3 million for various charities. Participants receive hot food, regular rest stops, and full support from welfare teams along the route. Tickets for next year's challenges are already on sale, with registration fees and fundraising targets applicable.
To support Gentry's campaign, donations can be made online at www.justgiving.com/page/paul-gentry-14. To sign up for a walking challenge, visit www.ultrachallenge.com.
