Monika gets on her bike

By Lia Bichel
MONIKA Litchfield wanted to jump out of a plane to mark her 50th birthday, but opted for cycling 2000km instead.
“I thought skydiving would be over in a couple of minutes and I needed a bigger challenge than that,” she said.
Mrs Litchfield, the bank manager at Westpac Endeavour Hills, will ride a push bike, unsupported, with her husband Michael across Great Britain next month.
She said it was her drive to lose weight and keep fit that prompted her to accept Michael’s proposal to complete the 28-day challenge. She hopes her efforts will raise $20,000, which will be divided between Painting with Parkinson’s group and a local family.
Belinda and Farook Mohammad had to recently get a substantial loan to purchase a hyperbaric chamber for one of their five children, 10-year-old Maleah who has autism, ADHD, epilepsy and an intellectual disability.
Mrs Litchfield said she trekked Nepal two years ago and wished she had raised money while doing it.
“So this time, when my husband asked me to do it, I thought I may as well help people in the community while doing it,” she said.
Mrs Mohammad said the extra money would be a huge help to the family.
“We had to get the hyperbaric chamber from America. To travel into the city would have cost about the same amount – $20,000 – but Maleah is only 10 and gets distressed having to go to different places. Having the chamber in our house is much more sane for us all,” she said. “Maleah has been using it for nearly 12 months and her quality of life has improved drastically. Words cannot express how I feel about (Mrs Litchfield) doing all of this for a child.”
Anne Atkin, Group Leader of Painting with Parkinson’s, said she too was extremely grateful for Mrs Litchfield’s efforts.
About 16 people are part of the local Painting with Parkinson’s group, which began in 2006 and is one of six in the state.
Ms Atkin has Parkinson’s disease and said the group was as important as it was therapeutic, as well as providing a great opportunity to socialise.
She said donations like those from Mrs Litchfield were vital in keeping the group running.
Mrs Litchfield said she was proud to lend her support and said the past six months had been a “life changing” experience.
Since she began her training six months ago, Mrs Litchfield has lost 16 kilograms and said she felt much healthier and her training was getting easier.
Mrs and Mr Litchfield will leave Australia on 27 May and begin their 28-day cycle on 3 June.
Anyone wanting to make a pledge can email endeavourhillsbranch@westpac.com.au