A BASINGSTOKE boy with brittle bone disease is getting on his bike to raise money for a charity close to heart.

Max Edney is aiming to ride 26.2 miles on Sunday, May 19, to fundraise for the Brittle Bone Society – a charity which is his family has raised more than £100,000 for over the years.

The 11-year-old was diagnosed with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) – also known as brittle bone – around his first birthday and since then his family have taken on an array challenges and fundraisers to not only raise money but awareness of the Brittle Bone Society.

Max’s dad, Steve, said: “Max chose to do the ride because he wanted to be able to give back to the Brittle Bone Society, fundraise and raise awareness.

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Basingstoke Gazette: Max Edney is cycling 26.2 miles for the Brittle Bone Society“Going out on a bike ride for him is high risk, so it’s prone to danger, as he has almost hollow bones.”

Steve, who was awarded a BEM for his services to charity in the King’s Birthday Honours last year, said before Max started preparing for the challenge he had only cycled five miles, but then moved up to eight miles, before completing a half marathon and more recently 20 miles.

People are being invited to cheer Max on during his mission when he gets to The Coffee Shop in Sherfield on Loddon at 12pm and The Elm Tree in Mapledurwell between 12.45pm and 1pm.

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“Max will lead the way with a neighbour and another friend will cycle alongside and I will cycle at the back,” Steve said.

“I’m super proud of him, as a family out the last five years we have done a lot of events, but they have parent driven – this is all now driven by him.”

Throughout his life Max has broken more than 20 bones and lives with a lot of fatigue and manages chronic pain, but despite all this is ‘excited and motivated’ about the fundraiser.

Max is also taking on the cycling challenge to get his fundraising badge at Scouts.

Max’s fundraiser has been given the backing of a famous face, Chris Evans, who invited him on his breakfast show on Virgin Radio on Thursday, May 16.

Chris who called Max his ‘ultimate hero’ and said that his challenge is “akin to climbing Everest”.

Asking Max what he would like to say, the fundraiser said: “A big thank you to everyone who sponsored me. It is going to impact people’s lives for the better.”

To donate to Max's fundraiser, go to justgiving.com/page/maxmarathon.