The 42-year-old Sofie Lenaerts from Kampenhout, who as a mountain climber, among other things, climbed Mount Everest, took on a challenge to get from De Panne to Voeren on foot and by bike in just 24 hours. She covered the 270 kilometers without sleeping and she did it to raise money for Make a Wish.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in the United States that helps fulfill the wishes of children with a critical illness between the ages of 2½ and 18 years old
Initially, the organization only fulfilled the wishes of children from the US, but in 1983 the organization expanded to Canada and in 1993 Make-A-Wish International was founded. The organization is currently active in more than 30 different countries, including the Netherlands and Belgium.
Heavy but fun challenge!
Although she is used to it, Sofie expects had a tough weekend. "The alternation of walking and cycling was heavier than I thought", it sounds. "As a result, this causes me more stress than when I start climbing a mountain (laughs). If was great that I had company during this traject with colleagues and friends joining me at certain parts of the route, walking or cycling along. In Tongeren the fire brigade gathered a dozen firefighters who supported me along the way. That made me very happy. my husband helps me with the transactions and the food supply with a camper-van to travel with me the whole ride long. At the last kilometers the police and an running-crew guided me trough the last village "Voeren" and pull me over the finish line (laughs)
I manage to cover the 270 kilometers just in 24 hours, starting from the lowest point of to the highest point of Flanders. By this dining this project and raise money for making dream come true, I hope these children have also a "highlight" in their lives.