Londoner born with no legs to walk 40km for motor neurone charity

RICHARD POLLINS was born without legs. But his mum Vera was undeterred by the pessimistic prognosis of specialists and he walks using prosthetic legs.

Mr Pollins, a programme editor for ITV News, was devastated when his mum was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2016. To raise £40,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, the 40-year-old will be walking 40 kilometres over four days on London routes later this month.

“There are many reasons why I have been able to go from proving those medical fears to be unfounded to taking on this challenge,” he told the JC. “Most of those reasons are down to my mum. She made the impossible possible.”

Growing up, “I had to learn to do things differently — to balance, to walk, to do stairs. It wasn’t always easy and kids can be cruel. But my parents always taught me to stand up for myself.” He added that MND “is a hideous condition. I wish the medical world was ready to cure mum — but it isn’t.”

Mr Pollins, who is married with two young children, plans to start each day from London landmarks including Buckingham Palace. On the concluding day, he will set off from Belsize Square Synagogue, his family’s shul. “I’m most nervous about the walk from my shul because it is not a flat route. I’ll be taking on the hills of Hampstead and I think that will be hard.”

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/richard-pollins40