Gutless Kayaker getting support

THE Gutless Kayaker who is paddling the waterway system to raise funds for 'his' hospital (The Gutless Kayaker is off again) is getting support along his way.

At the moment it is the Bruce Trust boat Hannah that is providing support from Oxford to Bristol, and the extraordinary kayaking journey of Justin Hansen, a 53 year old man with no digestive system, can be witnessed over the next ten days on the Kennet & Avon Canal, as he travels from Oxford to Bristol.

Purpose-built

The Bruce Trust wide-beam boat is one of a fleet of four purpose-built boats for people with a wide variety of special needs, and will act as a support vessel along the waterway via Reading.

Justin leaves Oxford on the final leg of his paddling adventure on Sunday 29th September and aims to complete his 420 mile journey to Bristol on 8th October. He set out from Skipton in North Yorkshire on 7th September.

His story is all the more remarkable because as a result of Crohn's disease he is on a life-support system 24 hours a day. Justin survives on liquid nutrition fed via a tube inserted into his chest from a specially created eight kilo backpack. He wears the pack throughout his paddling journey. An electric pump regulates the flow of liquid into his body.

Positive example

Justin states that he wants to demonstrate a positive example to others with chronic, life-changing conditions and raise money for St Mark's Hospital Charitable Foundation in Harrow. He also wants to promote kayaking, a new Paralympic sport nominated for the Rio games in 2016.

Other kayaking and canoe club paddlers will lend support and encouragement along the route including some Olympic kayakers.

David Bruce tells us:

"I am humbled by the courage, fortitude and sheer guts of Justin in making his epic voyage to raise money for his favourite charities and I am delighted that my Trust can help him in some small way to achieve his ambitions."