British Red Cross Assistant, 47, Tony was determined to improve on the strength he lost in his legs and core during the lockdown.
Inspired by Captain Tom, he drove 25 minutes a day for four days to meet his indoor training challenge. He loved the feeling of getting stronger while supporting Muscular Dystrophy UK (MDUK).
He said, “I am waiting for hydrotherapy to become open and available again, and in the meantime, I am building that strength through exercise at home.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a catastrophic impact on charities, with thousands of events canceled and billions lost in income.
At a time when vulnerable members of society need them most, charities have had to cut their services, put their employees on leave, and some have even closed them.
“Captain Tom stepped forward to help, took his famous walk to support the NHS COVID-19 appeal, and inspired millions to donate to the cause. I chose 100 minutes to celebrate his amazing spirit.
“I’m doing my Captain Tom 100 for MDUK because the charity has given me full support this year by advising me on facilities that are available for me to customize my home. They also helped arrange an occupational therapist assessment for my home adaptation.
Emma Watkins, MDUK Product Development Director, said, “Thank you, Tony, for your Captain Tom 100 challenge – and for raising funds for MDUK. We hope it will inspire others to take on their own Captain Tom 100. “
Tony was born in Manchester, the youngest of five children. He could climb trees, play soccer, ride his BMX, and do other activities just like the other kids when he was young, but he always had severe muscle spasms that were very painful:
“I thought everyone had the same cramping pain, so I never questioned it.”
When he was 13, he had to stop doing sports in school because his legs were cramped.
“I could actually run well, but I wasn’t as strong or fast as others in sports.”
He started having trouble climbing stairs at the age of 21, but it didn’t really show up until 2008 when people started commenting.
“At that time, I also got accidental falls. Finally, in 2008, I was diagnosed with Becker muscular dystrophy.
Ten years later, after getting married, started a family, and bought a house, he began grappling with his diagnosis.
“I decided to go to the Winsford Neuromuscular Center, Cheshire, and started volunteering and getting involved. I also trained hard for 12 weeks to keep the muscles in my legs and body. “
It went well until August 2020 when he fell and broke the humeral bone in his arm.
“This caused me to lose my balance, which meant that I could not walk for at least six weeks and I was in a wheelchair. Due to the restrictions on training during the lockdown, I am still in a wheelchair eight months later. “
You can support Tony’s Captain Tom 100 challenge Here