Paralysed Shrewsbury man to take on gruelling world marathon challenge and inspire others
A disabled Shrewsbury man says he wants his forthcoming world marathon challenge to provide inspiration and hope to others who have suffered with their physical and mental health.
Darren Edwards is aiming to become the first-ever wheelchair user to attempt the 777 World Marathon Challenge – a feat which sees participants complete seven marathons in seven days across seven continents.
Darren has already raised £34,870 towards a target of £100,000 he wants to secure for the Armed Forces Para-Snowsport Team.
"I hope it will show people that, no matter what challenges you face in life, you are always able to come out of it stronger," he said.
"If, by me doing this over-ambitious challenge, I can get through to someone who is having a dark moment in their life – and they say, if he can do that, then I can do what I need to do –that's worth me doing this entire thing, whether I succeed or fail."
He added: "It's important to know that between adversity and outcome, what happens and how it ends, there's always space and time.
"You can't control a lot of things in life – what happens to you if you get an injury – but you can always control how you approach it, how mentally you tackle the problem.
"You can give in, which is the easiest thing to do, or do the hard thing and have faith in your own ability, which a lot of people don't have. Regardless of what happens to you in life – injury, divorce, bankruptcy – we all go through own version of challenges and you are always able to control how you react to it."
Darren will join a group of 30 individuals embarking on the gruelling expedition on October 25 – one that fewer people have completed than have reached the summit of Mount Everest.
Starting in Antarctica, the group will travel to Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe, South America and conclude in North America.
Darren suffered a near-fatal accident in 2016 after falling 30ft during a rock climb. It left him instantly and permanently paralysed from the chest down but he said: “I am excited to show that anything is possible. In my opinion, it is vital that we all push our own boundaries, both physically and mentally, regardless of the challenges we all face in life."
To learn more about fundraising for the event, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/darrenworldmarathonchallenge
