A LAKE District dietician wants to raise for people with kidney problems after witnessing their struggles first-hand by cycling over 300 miles across five days.

31-year-old Rebecca Hayes, from Ambleside, will be cycling from Venice to Rome to raise a £1,000 for Kidneys for Life; a charity which funds research and patient amenities.

"While working as a renal dietician with the Manchester Royal Infirmary, I was deeply impressed by the fantastic work the charity does, and wanted to support it," Rebecca, who now lives in Manchester, said. "In my line of work I have also seen just how important the right diet is when undergoing treatment or leading to a possible kidney transplant. Treatment is less likely to take proper effect if the patient is underweight, and they need to be very careful about their salt intake, potassium and fosfate because your kidneys are dealing with all of that."

Along with other fundraisers, Rebecca will be cycling 85 miles from Venice to Ferrara, 101 miles to Rimini the next day, from there 88 miles to Gubbio the following day, followed by a 102-mile day to Viterbo and finally 69 miles to Rome.

With the big pedalling challenge beginning on June 12, Rebecca has already started training with her boyfriend Chris Gillespie, who is also taking part.

"I'm usually a fair weather cyclist, I only cycle when the sun's out, which doesn't happen often in Manchester," she said. "I am looking forward to taking up the challenge, and deeply grateful for any support."

Rebecca has raised money for Kidneys for Life in the past by cycling from London to Paris two years ago.

She said: "Even though I now live in Manchester, the cause still holds great relevance to my hometown in the Lake District. Among other things, Kidneys for Life supports the patients of Manchester Royal Infirmary. This is one of the only two places in the country that perform kidney transplants. If someone in the Lake District, or anywhere in the north of the country needed a kidney transplant, that's where they would go to."

Visit Rebecca's fundraising page at:

http://m.virginmoneygiving.com/mt/uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=RebeccaHayes2