Meet Mavis Patterson, an 85-year-old grandma from Galloway, Scotland. She loves cycling and helping others through charity work. Despite facing immense sadness after losing her three children within four years, Mavis decided to honor their memory in a remarkable way. On her 85th birthday, she embarked on a journey to cycle 1000 miles and managed to raise £60,000 for cancer research along the way.
Mavis, affectionately known as Granny Mave by her online followers, has been a dedicated supporter of Macmillan Cancer Support for two decades. Having experienced the devastating loss of her mother and younger sister to cancer, she intimately understands the pain caused by the disease. Despite her love for running, Mavis transitioned to cycling in her fifties due to health reasons.
Mavis is not afraid of tough challenges. She has cycled across Canada and America, and she has climbed Kilimanjaro. In 2019, she did a 960-mile cycle challenge and became the oldest woman to cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats. She broke a Guinness World Record and raised £75,000 for cancer research.
She had a terrible tragedy that pushed her to take up this challenge. In 2012, her son died of a heart attack. In 2013, her daughter died of pneumonia. In 2016, her other son died in an accident.
All three of her children were in their 40s. Mavis said, “When my children died, I just didn’t know what to do. But the cycling has helped me a lot.”
She said, “I do think about them a lot, but I’ve got to face life, so I take on the challenges, which are a huge help to me. The last one I did was wonderful because it took my mind off of the children.” Cycling has become a way for Mavis to cope with her grief and to heal. She also wanted to honor the memory of her children by achieving her biggest goal yet.
Mavis started her cycling journey in the Mull of Galloway and finished it with a warm welcome from her fans and her grandchild, who hugged her. She raised around £60,000 for Macmillan with her fundraising.
A spokesperson for the center said that Mavis’ efforts have made a big difference for the charity. They said, “I know getting out on her bike helps her both physically and mentally; however, it takes a huge amount of determination to achieve what she has.”
“I thought this was grief that I’d never get over. To lose all my children was the saddest thing that could happen to me,” Mavis said in a video.
But she didn’t let that stop her from living her life. Mavis keeps on challenging herself and helping others with her cycling. She said, “When I am cycling, I don’t think about them so much,” she said, “which is a big help to me.”
Mavis’ story is an inspiration for us all. It shows us that we can do incredible things, even when we face difficulties.