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Brothers' rowing challenge for autoimmune condition

BBC A teenage boy with dark brown hair wearing a maroon tie and red and white striped shirt and school blazer being hugged by an older boy with long, blond hair and wearing a purple t-shirt BBC
James and Edwin van Lopik are pupils at Bradford Grammar School

An England youth rower has launched a charity challenge at his school after his brother was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition.

Edwin van Lopik, 17, wants money raised by ROW2025 at Bradford Grammar School to go to Kidney Research UK.

His brother James, 14, was found to have C3 glomerulonephritis (C3GN) last year and now has to take eight pills a day to control the rare disease, which affects his kidneys.

Those taking part on indoor rowing machines will cover the equivalent distance of 48 marathons in a week.

Kate Stanley A teenage boy with brown hair and wearing a purple t-shirt and black shorts pulling at a rowing machine.Kate Stanley
James is in his school year rowing team and hopes to complete around 100 kilometres in the challenge

The boys live in Guiseley and Edwin, who is part of England squads, captains his school team.

He said: "James is my brother and the best person in the world and I really wanted to help him out.

"I got together with lots of people I know in rowing in Bradford, this really incredible community, and we came up with this idea of ROW2025, which is inspired by Bradford being the City of Culture.

"We're hoping to row 2,053km, which is the equivalent of 48 marathons back-to-back."

As well as pupils from the school, Edwin has enlisted participants from Bradford Amateur Rowing Club where their mother Sarah is a member and father Adam volunteers.

Edwin added: "I really want to show what can happen when people come together and also make this a really powerful experience for rowing in Bradford."

Kate Stanley Two teenage boys wearing a purple t-shirt with a white logos and a man standing in the middle of them with long, brown hair and wearing a blue sports top. Kate Stanley
BGS rowing coach Simon Darnbrough (centre) has helped the brothers with their training

C3GN affects approximately one in a million people.

The condition damages kidney function, often leading to kidney failure and the need for dialysis or transplants.

James was eventually diagnosed last year after treatment at Leeds General Infirmary.

He said: "There are loads of conditions like mine that are one-in-a-million but together add up to loads and loads of people.

"None of them have much funding and people just don't know enough about these diseases so it would be great to have more research and to raise more awareness."

ROW2025 starts today and runs for a week with the aim of raising at least £5,000 for the charity.

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