20 Jul 2022
The effects of long COVID are inspiring a bid to raise £10,000 by paddling 115 miles down the River Severn next month.
Allister Webb
Job Title
Nathan Loewenstein (back) and Ben Huntington on the water in preparation.
Two vets are gearing up for a gruelling fund-raising canoe challenge inspired by the continuing impact of long COVID.
Nathan Loewenstein and Ben Huntington are preparing to paddle 115 miles of the River Severn in just two days over the August bank holiday weekend.
An online donation page has been set up for the challenge, which aims to raise £10,000 for the family of Nathan’s cousin, Dani Loewenstein.
Dani, a mountain guide in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, contracted COVID-19 in March 2020.
The long-term effects of the virus caused multiple organ damage, and left him unable to see properly or walk 500 metres.
Although his condition has improved following a number of operations last year, including open heart surgery, Dani still faces a highly uncertain future with health issues – including an unresolved brain aneurysm and compromised circulation.
Dr Loewenstein, a veterinary surgeon with Shropshire Farm Vets near Shrewsbury, and Dr Huntington, a former poultry vet who now works as a freelance research programme manager, are due to set off from the village of Crewgreen, close to the Welsh border, in the early hours of Friday 26 August.
They aim to reach their finishing line in Gloucester at around sunset the following day.
Although Dr Loewenstein has taken part in multi-day canoe trips during summer camps in Canada, the scale of this challenge will be a new experience for both him and Ben.
Dr Loewenstein said: “In terms of preparation, we have been doing a number of longer paddles (five to six hours) for distance, as well as doing shorter distance, upstream power training – the canoe equivalent of hill work for runners.
“We both have young families and this has restricted our potential time in the boat, but when not able to make it out on the water, we have done general cardio and core strengthening work.
“Training is going well so far. We won’t be able to do anywhere near the full distance ahead of time, simply due to the time and the logistics required to get the canoe there and back, but the biggest hurdle is going to be the mental challenge of trying to cover that distance in that time.
“We are really excited and relish the upcoming adventure, and are hoping for lots of support along the way.”
Donations can be made via their JustGiving page.
