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Tour Series presenter severely ill after London to Rio bike rideCharlie Webster

Tour Series presenter severely ill after London to Rio bike ride

Charlie Webster, Team GB ambassador and TV presenter, is said to be fighting for her life against a severe complication from a bacterial infection
by Laura Laker
Thu, Aug 18, 2016 10:45
3

Tour Series TV presenter and Team GB ambassador Charlie Webster, who cycled from London to Rio ahead of the Olympics is said to be fighting for her life in hospital after becoming seriously ill.

Charlie Webster, one of Team GB’s official Games presenters, and rode the 3,000 mile trip for a breast cancer charity, fell ill on 6 August after watching the Olympics Opening Ceremony.

She was initially thought to be dehydrated from the six week ride, but her condition worsened and she was found to have contracted a severe complication from a bacterial infection.

Webster, who presented the Edinburgh Tour Series Round in May, cycled for 39 days from London to Rio to raise money for the Jane Tomlinson Appeal.

After arriving in apparently good health, later that day she posted a picture of herself attached to a drip in hospital. She said: “6 weeks on the road ends in this. Very rough day, severe dehydration & infection, 2 drips & antibiotics”.

Two days later, on 11 August, she posted an update from her hospital bed, saying: “I’m getting there…awful few days with serious infection.”

However after three days her condition worsened and a further message was posted on Webster’s twitter account updating concerned fans.

According to the Sun she was placed in an induced coma after her kidneys failed. It is understood Webster’s family have flown to Brazil.

This morning a further update thanked people for their messages of support, saying “it means a lot”.

Webster had previously cycled three UK stages of the 2014 Tour de France for charity. She was riding with Jane Tomlinson’s husband, Mike Tomlinson, and ex-Rugby league professionals. The Ride to Rio Just Giving page has raised £21,100.

Charlie Webster
Ride to Rio
2016 Rio Olympics
Laura Laker

Laura Laker is a freelance journalist with more than a decade’s experience covering cycling, walking and wheeling (and other means of transport). Beginning her career with road.cc, Laura has also written for national and specialist titles of all stripes. One part of the popular Streets Ahead podcast, she sometimes appears as a talking head on TV and radio, and in real life at conferences and festivals. She is also the author of Potholes and Pavements: a Bumpy Ride on Britain’s National Cycle Network.

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OldRidgeback | 8 years ago
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Malaria's a nasty disease as I know from personal experience. If she took anti-malarials, these should have been sufficent to slow the onset of the malaria attack. Sometimes this can mean people don't realise they have malaria. It does weaken the system and leave you open for other illnesses also. I'm curious when she was tested for the disease. Once it's in the bloodstream, it's quite easy to spot. The symptoms can be flu-like and vary from person to person but include headaches, loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhoea and fatigue.

We don't know whether she was taking anti malarial drugs. But anyone who goes to an area where malaria is an issue and does not take preventative measures is being extremely foolish and taking a big (and to my mind, unnecessary) risk. Someone I knew took that chance, and died as a result.

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me | 8 years ago
1 like

wow, hope she mends soon

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tritecommentbot | 8 years ago
5 likes

Malaria according to the Graun. She'd have been well prepared I bet, jabs, tablets etc so maybe it she contracted it because her immune system was so low after that massive effort. Either way, hope she pulls through soon, she deserves better than this after that immense ride.

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