September 8, 2020
Author:
Nicola Douglas

Luke Golder - Rowing For Blood

We love helping people when we can and Luke Golder is no exception.

Unlike many rowers, Luke is not rowing to raise money, he’s rowing to raise awareness of something we can all do without spending a penny – givingblood. 

In 2018, Luke fell extremely sick with the Epstein Bar Virus. Five months later, he suddenly suffered a brain haemorrage likely caused by the Virus.Thankfully, Luke recovered and returned to work. But then in February 2019, he suffered an epileptic seizure which led to the suspension of his driving licence. Despite living in rural Essex, he cycled 10 miles a day in order to commute to his city job. 

Devastatingly, just a few months later, Luke was rushed into hospital with another unknown illness that had caused internal bleeding into his small intestines. He lost blood faster than the NHS staff could transfuse it back into his body.  Miraculously, his life was saved by a first class NHS team and 27 units of blood.

2 major operations followed and over the past few months, Luke has finally begun to recover fully.

Thanks to 27 strangers who he will never meet, he is still here today and undertaking a physical challenge to raise awareness of the importance of giving blood. 

With no previous experience of rowing a boat and just months after his surgery,Luke is planning to row the length of the River Crouch in a Rannoch Explorer.His on water training started this week under the expert guidance of Dawn Wood of @rowaurora.

His 20 mile solo row will take place in September and will start in Battlesbridge, continue up to Foulness Island and loop back around to finish in Burnham on Crouch, home of the @RannochExplorer.

UPDATE 7th SEPTEMBER

Luke completed his row on Saturday 5th September, supported by Dawn Wood of Row Aurora. His planned route had to change slightly due to the weather conditions and so he set off from Wallasea Marina, rowed to Battlesbridge and then back to Wallasea to finish as originally planned.

Luke absolutely smashed his row and we couldn’t be prouder to support such a worthwhile and commendable venture.

Check out Luke’s website https://www.rowingforblood.com/ to find out more information and his Just Giving page if you would like to donate https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/rowingforblood

Luke & Dawn on their first training session
During his row
Smiling all the way!