WHILST many people will be putting their feet up over the jubilee bank holiday weekend, one 12-year-old will be furiously pedalling away as she looks to raise money for a charity which has helped her brother cope with a rare disease.

Isla Widdowson, who is a pupil at Thomas Gainsborough School, will, in fact, be doing more than just cycling – she will also be swimming and running as she looks to complete a half ironman over three days.

It’s a challenge which would daunt many adults, let alone a 12-year-old, but Isla’s father, Dan, says she will be able to handle what will surely be a demanding three days.

On Thursday, June 2, Isla will be completing a 1.9km open water swim, before completing a 90.1km cycle on Friday, and rounding the haul off with a 21.1km half marathon on Saturday.

The charity which Isla is raising money, Nerve Tumours UK, is one which is important to the Widdowson family, who live in Great Horkesley.

Alex, Isla’s ten-year-old brother, was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis (NF) when he was only a few months old, so it comes as no surprise that their father has raised money for the charity before.

He said: “NF is not a well-known condition, but we’ve raised thousands of pounds for the charity over the years.

“When Alex was born, over the first weeks and months we noticed he had birth marks – but new marks were appearing and they were getting bigger.

“Doctors referred us to paediatrics, and there was a specialist at the time who came from Great Ormond Street Hospital – they went through different tests before establishing it was NF.”

Although the condition doesn’t severely affect Alex’s quality of life, Mr Widdowson explained it can still have risks and side-effects.

“Alex has to go to annual optometry checks to make sure no tumours are growing on his optical nerve,” Mr Widdowson explained.

“Although he’s got it, most of the time it’s a hidden condition – some people don’t even know they have it until they are 10, 12 or 15 years into their life.

“So far, we’ve been lucky – there’s nothing obvious in him which shows he has it.”

His older sister’s exerts will not be completely out of her comfort zone  as Isla has proved herself a competent triathlete in a family where sports and exercise are always on the agenda.

“We are heavily into sport – it’s our weekends and our evenings and it’s absolutely part of our lives,” Mr Widdowson explained.

He added after his daughter’s success in her first triathlon, they caught the bug.

“We entered Isla in her first triathlon on a whim.

“We bought her a fairly rubbish mountain bike and then she went and came in the top three of the competition – since then it’s been a big part of her life and we’ve done triathlons since then.”

With three consecutive days of physical exertion, Mr Widdowson – who himself is a keen runner and member of Colchester Harriers – sees the third and final day of the three as being the toughest for Isla.

“The half-marathon I can envisage being a tough day,” he said.

“She will need some recovery for some time after that.”

The 90km cycle, however, which takes place on the second day of Isla’s half-ironman, could see other cyclists come out to support her.

“We’ve got quite a few friends who do the same disciplines, so we will end up publishing the route for people to come and join us,” Mr Widdowson said.

No matter how much support she has, however, none of it will match the support Isla is giving her younger brother.

Donations to Isla's half ironman can be made via www.justgiving.com/fundraising/isla-widdowson-nervetumours-jubilee.