Ashley Cain injured during 100-mile charity cycle ride raising money for children's cancer treatment
Ashley Cain has suffered multiple injuries while embarking on a three-day charity cycle to raise money for children's cancer this Christmas.
The former footballer and Ex On The Beach star has been cycling 100 miles a day for three days – Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day – in memory of his daughter Azaylia, who died from a rare form of leukaemia at eight months old in April 2021.
Mr Cain, 32, began cycling on Christmas Eve in Nuneaton and is raising money for two children, Elaiya and Philo, who are fighting cancer and need funds for their treatment.
Sharing the disappointing news of his injury on Monday, the former Coventry City player said in his Instagram stories: "So the thing that I was dreading has actually happened and my left knee has completely failed.
"Got ligament damage in it."
"I know a lot of you remember the 100 miles when I picked up an injury in my left knee, well, it’s gone now and I didn’t want to speak it into existence before so I didn’t mention it, but I’m struggling to cycle today."
Mr Cain continued: "I’ve struggled the last eight miles with one leg. I’ve just picked up a knee support in the hope that can help me out."
He adds: "I’m going to do my best because I said I was going to do this 100-mile and my best to finish it, but I know I’m going to be running into the night because I can’t put my pace down."
"I’m just going to keep on going ‘til I can’t go no more. That’s all," he said.
He later posted a picture on Instagram with the caption: "There has been many tears on todays ride - not because of the excruciating pain, but out of sheer disappointment that after 20 miles on my 3rd and final day of riding, my challenge is over."
"I went into this challenge carrying 2 injuries in my back and shoulder. But it was a recurring knee ligament injury that I picked up while running the 100 mile ultra marathon in April, that finally came back to haunt me."
The ex-Coventry City player adds: "Thanks to some early motivation from my little niece Anaya, I managed to stay out for 3 and a half hours gritting my teeth through the pain, cycling for miles with one leg before it eventually got too much and I had to throw in the towel.""Failing is not something I handle well, so I am leaving this campaign open until I recover enough (I doubt I’ll wait that long) to finish the 300 miles that I started and that I promised."
Mr Cain said that he has cycled 221.14 miles and raised £23,694 in two days for laiya and Philo "because of our amazing community".
On the first day of the mission, Mr Cain was supported by ex-girlfriend and Azaylia’s mother, Safiyya Vorajee, bringing him food, cheering him on and filming him as he embarked on the exhaustive trek.
Ashley and Safiyya have so far raised more than £20,000 of their £100,000 goal through a GoFundMe for Elaiya and Philo - whose families are hoping to gather enough money to access treatment in the US and Germany for the children respectively.