THE dad of a young footballer is going the distance to raise money for charity.
Rich Clift, 38, will take on the 100km Jurassic Coast Ultra Challenge in May alongside his friend Piers Tunnicliff and his brothers-in-law Ashley Pike and Mikey Green in aid of Muscular Dystrophy UK.
He was inspired to take on the challenge by his nine-year-old son Max who was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in March 2025.
The family originally thought the youngster – who plays football in Chasetown’s disability teams – had dyspraxia, before a month of tests led to a diagnosis.
Rich said:
“Nothing could prepare us for how quickly everything escalated from that point – blood tests, consultants and suddenly a whirlwind we never asked to be part of.
“Through it all, the kindness of the professionals around us has made a huge difference.
“There was a lot of waiting and uncertainty, but we finally received the diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. We’d never even heard of the condition, but just by the way the news was delivered, we knew it was bad.
“Hearing those words felt like the ground disappearing beneath our feet.
“Since his diagnosis, Max has been an absolute superstar. He has to attend a huge amount of hospital appointments, but always does so with a smile on his face, showing the doctors his cheeky side.
“His sheer determination to not allow the condition to hinder him is admirable.”
While there is currently no cure for the condition, Max is on steroid treatment and a medication called Translarna. He also wears leg splints each evening to help manage his condition, and is participating in a clinical trial for a new treatment called Givinostat.
Rich said:
“We try to be as up front and honest as we can with Max. He understands that his muscles don’t work as well as others and that he takes medication to help preserve them for as long as possible.
“He doesn’t know the full extent of what lies ahead though.
“We reached a point where we realised there’s nothing we can do to change the condition Max has. What we can change is how we live with it.
“We’ve chosen to focus on living life to the fullest and doing something positive in the face of something so cruel, hence why we’re taking on the Jurassic Coast Ultra Challenge for Muscular Dystrophy UK.
“It’s completely out of our comfort zone. None of us have done anything like this before. Training is tough with early mornings, long hours and trying to fit it all in around work and family life, but every step we take in training feels like it has purpose.
“Max is our purpose. And he’s already shown us what true strength looks like.”
To donate to Rich’s fundraiser, visit the JustGiving website.
