Daughter completes gruelling ROC Wales challenge in memory of her father
Pictured above: Photo 1: Lowri and Emily
Photo 2: Ffion Thomas, Lowri Bennett, Jennifer Lynch-Wilson - Lead ILD Specialist Nurse, Alison Bennett, Cerys Thomas, Gareth Thomas and Ollie Thomas.
Lowri Bennett from Llanelli has raised £2,090 for the Hywel Dda University Health Board Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) service after completing one of Wales' toughest endurance events in memory of her dad.
Lowri, a Registered Veterinary Nurse and Junior Lecturer at Hartpury University, took on the demanding ROC Wales triathlon alongside her friend Emily, raising an incredible £2,090 for the service that cared for her father, Steve, following his diagnosis with pulmonary fibrosis nine years ago.
The challenge, which took place in Abersoch, north Wales, covered approximately 115km and included a 1.5km sea swim, a 100km cycle ride, a run to the summit of Snowdon via the Watkin Path, and a final run along the beach. The route involved more than 1,775 metres of elevation gain.
Lowri said: "Over those nine years, the ILD team supported not only Dad, but our whole family through every stage of his illness.
"Sadly, we lost Dad on 8th February 2026. As a family, we wanted to do something positive in his memory and give something back to the unit that cared for him so well for so many years.
"Taking on ROC Wales and raising money for the ILD service felt like a fitting way to honour Dad's strength and determination, while also helping support future patients and families facing similar experiences.
“Preparing for the event alongside work and daily life involved many early mornings, long bike rides, hill sessions and plenty of determination. There were moments where the training felt tough both physically and mentally, but the reason behind why we were doing it kept us motivated throughout.”
Lowri added: "The event itself was really tough but also one of the most rewarding things I've ever done. Crossing the finish line was emotional and something we will always be proud of.
“There are so many people I would like to thank for helping us throughout both the fundraising and the challenge itself. Thank you to every single person who donated, shared the fundraiser or sent messages of support. The kindness and generosity people showed towards us and Dad’s story was incredible.
“A huge thank you also goes to my family for their constant encouragement and support. I would also like to thank Emily for taking on this crazy challenge with me and for being such an incredible support following the loss of Dad. Sharing the experience together made some of the toughest moments much more manageable, and I genuinely could not have done it without her.
“Finally, a massive thank you to Will and Ben for all of their support throughout training and on the day itself. They ran up Snowdon with us and really kept us going during some really difficult moments. We truly could not have completed this without everyone around us, and we are so grateful for all of the love and support shown to us throughout this journey.”
Claire Rumble, Fundraising Officer, said: “We'd like to say a massive thank you to Lowri and Emily for taking on such an incredible challenge in memory of Steve.
“The support of our local communities enables us to provide services over and above what the NHS can provide in the three counties of Hywel Dda and we are extremely grateful for every donation we receive.”