Eurotoday – At Toverland amusement park near Bruges, Pierrick and 23 fellow thrill-seekers are riding the Troy wooden roller coaster—reaching speeds of up to 90 km/h—for 24 hours straight. Their mission: to raise funds for Stichting Jade, a foundation supporting families affected by childhood cancer.
As reported by VRT News, Troy is the largest wooden coaster in the Benelux and, while it doesn’t go upside down, it offers enough speed and intensity to put participants to the test. The charity challenge began at noon on May 24, 2025.
Participation required serious preparation. Would-be riders had to pass two rigorous tests evaluating their physical and mental endurance. Only 24 individuals were ultimately selected. Pierrick, one of the chosen riders, trained by riding Troy ten times in the days leading up to the event. Despite the preparation, he admits there’s no real way to fully anticipate the challenge ahead. His strategy? Fix his gaze on the horizon and let his body flow with the coaster’s motion to avoid motion sickness.
How will riding a roller coaster for 24 hours benefit families battling childhood cancer?
Safety is paramount throughout the event. Riders are given short breaks every hour to hydrate and stretch for five minutes. Every six hours, they enjoy a longer pause for meals and restroom use. These structured breaks help make the grueling experience manageable and safe.
Organizers emphasize that the endurance challenge is driven by a shared commitment to the cause. For the riders, including Pierrick, the physical discomfort is secondary to the goal: supporting families going through unimaginable hardship. As he explained, it’s about collective effort, determination, and staying focused on the purpose behind the ride. Over the 24-hour period, the participants will turn an amusement park ride into a demonstration of compassion and solidarity.
The 24-hour ride challenge is part of a larger charity initiative that Toverland hosts every three years. Each time, the park selects a different cause to support. This year’s campaign is dedicated to Stichting Jade, a foundation created by terminally ill teenager Jade Kops and her family. The organization offers families affected by childhood cancer an opportunity to enjoy a healing stay in a beachside villa—providing a break from hospital routines and a chance to make cherished memories.
The campaign’s goal is ambitious: to raise sufficient funds to cover all accommodation costs for an entire year, ensuring every family can enjoy a restorative holiday without financial worry.
For Pierrick, the cause is deeply personal. He recently lost his close friend Jonas to cancer. They both shared a love for amusement parks, making this ride even more meaningful. “Burying Jonas was very hard,” Pierrick shared. Through this roller coaster challenge, he hopes to honor his friend’s memory and turn his grief into something positive—offering help and hope to other families walking a similar path.
This emotional and physically demanding event underscores the power of community, resilience, and compassion in the face of adversity.
Eurotoday is a daily online newspaper based in Belgium. It offers independent coverage of European and international affairs, focusing on EU policy, major developments across Member States, and global issues through a uniquely European lens.
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