Student nurse Sanna rides the Rickshaw Relay race for BBC Children in Need
A Birmingham City University (BCU) student set off on the challenge of a lifetime today (Thursday 20 October) in aid of BBC Children in Need.
Sanna Ahmed, a second-year children’s nursing student, is one of five young people from across the UK taking part in the BBC Children in Need Rickshaw Relay to raise money for the charity as part of its 2022 appeal.
The Rickshaw Challenge involves a relay-style ride style over five days, with each rider taking a section of the journey, travelling through their hometowns and visiting places which hold a particular significance for them along the way.
Sanna’s leg of the journey saw her riding around 28 miles from her home city of Birmingham to Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire. The 20-year-old, who had never ridden a bike before beginning her training, was cheered on by family, friends, and fellow students as she set off from BCU’s Seacole building.
BBC Breakfast Live covered Sanna’s start, where she was joined on her journey by presenter Matt Baker MBE, Children in Need mascot Pudsey the Bear and a convoy of support staff.
Sanna is taking part in the relay on behalf of OSCAR Birmingham, a BBC Children in Need-funded project, supporting children with the inherited blood disorders sickle cell anaemia and thalassemia.
Sanna lives with thalassemia, which means she has less haemoglobin – the substance that is needed to carry oxygen around the body – in her blood. Every four weeks she spends a day in hospital having a blood transfusion, without which she’d become anaemic and extremely tired.
As a child, she was often too tired to join in with activities with family, friends and school life – but when she was 12 years old, she was introduced to OSCAR Birmingham where she met others like her and where was able to get the support she needed.
Now aged 20, and in the second year of her nursing training, Sanna is still involved with OSCAR as a mentor to younger children, giving the same support back that she once received. Living with her condition and her experience of working with OSCAR Birmingham is what inspired her to become a child nurse.
Speaking before she set off, Sanna said: “The Rickshaw Relay is going to be a huge challenge for me, particularly as I’ve never ridden a bike before.
“But it’s something that I can’t wait to take on – and know that I’ll have the best support throughout the challenge from Matt Baker, and of course from all of my family and friends cheering on the roadside too.
“The money that we raise will benefit so many young people who are facing challenges in their lives.”
Nikki Kidd, senior lecturer in child health on the university’s future nurse course, added:
As well as appearing on BBC Breakfast Live, Sanna will also feature with all the other riders in a one-off documentary about the challenge, The Rickshaw Relay Rides Again, which will be broadcast on BBC One on Tuesday 15 November.