THOUSANDS of pounds came rolling in when a cyclist completed an eight-hour challenge to raise money for the charity that saved his dad’s life.
Jam Price rode his bike on a set of indoor rollers at the Worcester Cycle Centre, peddling from 8.30am until 4.30pm without a break.
He clocked up an astonishing 150 miles in a bid for donations for the liver foundation at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.
The 43-year-old set up the just giving page in November and blew straight past his initial £500 target within ten days and on the day of the challenge hit £3,200.
Mr Price and his family made their final push on Facebook yesterday and managed to raise an impressive £4,000 in total.
He said: “I am totally overwhelmed, I did not expect that amount and just can’t believe the support I’ve had off everyone.”
Mr Price said his dad was the inspiration behind the idea having gone through a kidney and two liver transplants and taking part in the Transplant Games, winning gold medals.
He added: “My dad is over the moon, we are all well chuffed. We didn’t expect it to be this big it was just an idea three months ago and it’s just snow blown.”
The money donated will go towards a machine for the Birmingham based hospital, that will keep organs viable for longer after they have been taken from the patient.
Mr Price said: “Sometimes when you raise money for charity it gets lost in the system so to know exactly where it’s going is great. It’s something that will directly save lives.”
His dad Roy had been ill for a long time and was given just two weeks to live until his transplant surgery which saved his life.
“Throughout the years I have thought about doing something as my way of saying thank you to the people who have kept him alive,” he added.
“I get a little bit blasé about it because I have been so close to it I didn’t really take it all in – especially when I was younger – but he is still here and living today. He is like a six million dollar man.”
As well as this amazing influence Mr Price was inspired by his friend Richard Smith who also had a liver transplant and still ‘lives life to the fullest’.
“I could not have done it without the support of my wife, daughter and family. I want to thank them, the Worcester Cycle Centre and everyone who donated,” he added.
