The Wheeler family are staging a pickleballathon in June to raise money for a charity that is all too close to their hearts.
They’ll be staging a 12-hour pickleball extravaganza on the Heath Park courts in Cardiff in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust after son Zach was diagnosed with cancer last October.
Fortunately after treatment at the University Hospital of Wales and Velindre Hospital, the 17-year-old is now cancer-free, undergoing regular monitoring for the next ten years to ensure he stays that way, and hard at work to study for his A-levels in the hope of heading to Exeter University to study mathematics.
He and his family want to offer their support to other young people going through similar issues – hence the idea to stage a pickleball event to help the charity that gave them so much support and guidance.
The Wheelers all began playing pickleball together in summer 2024, spotting a local tennis court marked out with pickleball lines.
“Post-op, [Zach] had to rest for a few weeks,” says dad Luke. “He plays football but i told him to try playing pickleball [again] first!”
To sign up to the Pickleballathon, email pbathon25@gmail.com – and to donate, head to their JustGiving page.
