Brother's gruelling cycle challenge for sister

A brother's love for his sister who was irreparably damaged by surgery to remove a brain tumour will see him take on a gruelling cycle challenge for charity.
Elizabeth Argile with her siblingsElizabeth Argile with her siblings
Elizabeth Argile with her siblings

Andy Argile hopes to raise thousands for pioneering charity Brain Tumour Research by taking part in the Prudential RideLondon, described as “the world’s greatest festival of cycling.”

And ahead of the event, 34-year-old Andy has told his sister’s tragic story for the first time in order to raise awareness and help others.

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Andy’s sister Elizabeth was just 12 when she underwent surgery to remove a tumour on her pituitary gland, but the complications that followed left her blind, paralysed down one side, and with limited understanding and difficulties when communicating. She spent almost two years in hospital recovering.

Now 30, Elizabeth has spent the rest of her life in care and is frequently hospitalised with life-threatening seizures.

Andy, who lives in Chorley but works in Standish as an IT manager at Ainscough Industrial Services, said: “It’s a sad fact brain tumours can affect anyone at any time but no one knows what causes them.

“Treatments for patients like my sister remain very limited.

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“I hope my efforts will help raise awareness of this awful and indiscriminate disease and draw attention to the dreadful under-funding of research which has gone on for far too long.”

Those efforts will involved the 100-mile sporting event, which will set off from the Olympic Park in east London tomorrow, Sunday, before heading through the capital and out into the Surrey countryside before returning to the finish on The Mall.

A total of 25,000 riders are expected to taker part, 24 of which will represent the Brain Tumour Research team.

For more information, visit braintumourresearch.org.

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