LONDON: A long distance Malaysian adventure cyclist is pedaling his way across Ireland in a Transatlantic Way Challenge to raise RM25,000 to support Red Bubbles Clown Doctors in bringing joy and laughter to seriously ill children in hospitals across Malaysia.
Aedewan Adnan, 39, embarked on the self supported 2500km race last Sunday from Dublin through some of the most scenic albeit quite remote Wild Atlantic way, along western Ireland’s Atlantic coastline.
With this being his first race for charity, Aedewan, when met during a meeting in London before the race informed that he chose the Red Bubbles' Clown Doctors because he believed they were working for a good cause and because children deserved to be happy.
He is the first ever Malaysian to enter the challenge ride where “there is no prize for 1st, 2nd and 3rd”.
The Irish weather is something to contend with and self-reliance during the race makes this event a challenge not to be underestimated.
Aedewan expressed hope that he will be able to finish the ride in ten days.
Reporting after reaching Checkpoint 1 on the third day, Aedewan, who rode with his cousin Danial Mokhtar, 34, said they had cycled for about 5km outside of Derry until 1am and had so far done 537km.
“We found this abandoned workshop to sleep in and woke up at 4am to start cycling at 4.45am,” said Aedewan, after making some steep climbs in Donegal, passing the wild Atlantic coast, descending a gravel path to Glenveagh National Park, and taking in some beautiful sights as well an enchanting sunset along the coast.
The first day saw Aedewan pedaling 235km in 12 hours.
“I was doing alright during the first 30km but the temperature got hotter in the afternoon. The highest was 28 degrees Celcius and I was struggling for about 70km. It cooled down from 5pm to about 16 degrees,” said Aedewan when he arrived in Derry at 11pm on the first day.
Iskandar Syah Ismail, a clown doctor and founder of Red Bubbles, said the money will fund their weekly visits to paediatric cancer wards during the year.
“Currently we have four clown doctors and now we are planning to train and recruit young artists, theatre graduates to make this as a career,” added Iskandar Syah who with his team of clown doctors had been bringing joy and fun in children’s wards up and down Malaysia.