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Maura Ward, 74, cycled the epic two-day journey on a tandem bicycle with her son Johnny and was joined on the expedition, in aid of the charity Cure Parkinson’s, by 20 other cyclists.

Maura was herself diagnosed with the progressive nervous system disorder 10 years ago. Despite this she was able to complete the challenge and has raised over £12,000.

She said: “Now I have recovered my behind feels part of my anatomy again and, of course, Cure Parkinson’s has some more money.

Maura, who has Parkinson's disease, cycled 100km in aid of research to find a cure. (Photo by Cure Parkinson's)

“I feel a sense of satisfaction and achievement.”

Maura’s preparations for the journey between Petra and Wadi Rum involved training at the gym, but her plans were disrupted by other health issues.

She said: “I did not start 2023 the way I would have liked fitness wise. I had struggled with arthritis quite considerably last year, culminating in a hip replacement just before Christmas, and I have to say it was not the best early preparation.

“However, I got properly stuck into it around Easter, with five or six gym sessions of at least an hour on the bike most weeks.”

Maura undertook the challenge on a tandem bike with her son Johnny. (Photo by Cure Parkinson's)

Having completed marathons and skydives in the past, Maura was already in good shape prior to her hip replacement.

She climbed Mount Fuji in Japan in 2019 for Cure Parkinson’s and ran part of the Serengeti Marathon in Tanzania for the Michael J Fox Foundation in 2021.

She said: “As long as I am able, I will continue to try to raise money for research into this awful condition.

“I will not stop because I need to know that I have done my best to ensure that if my children or grandchildren have the misfortune to receive a Parkinson's diagnosis, then there will be some way in which they can be cured or at least have any progression arrested.”

Maura, Johnny, and the rest of the expedition in Jordan. (Photo by Cure Parkinson's)

Helen Matthews, CEO of Cure Parkinson’s, said: “Fundraising support is absolutely critical for the charity to enable us to achieve our goal.

“We aim to cure Parkinson’s and the only way we will do this is through the help of all our incredible supporters, it is as simple as that.”

You can donate to Maura’s fundraiser at justgiving.com/crowdfunding/jordan100kmcycle

Whitley Bay grandma cycles 100km through the desert in Jordan in aid of Cure Parkinson's