300 miles a month. That is what I need to do to achieve my target of at least 3,000 miles cycling this year.
£6,000 = my fundraising target - enough to fund our Bowel Cancer Helpline for a month.
Both are big challenges for me to achieve. But neither compares to the challenge people living with bowel cancer face every day.
I am not asking you to support my cycling - although cheering me on physically and virtually is always welcome. I am asking you to help the work of Beating Bowel Cancer - the support and campaigning charity for everyone affected by bowel cancer. Beating Bowel Cancer does not receive any government funding. Most of our money raised each year is from individuals who recognise that beating the UK's second biggest cancer killer should be a priority for us all. What Beating Bowel cancer does with that money really makes a difference.
We fund the UK's only Bowel Cancer Helpline, which allows patients and others talk directly to our nurses by phone or email. What our nurses do is amazing, and is often a lifeline for those in need. I have heard our nurses talk to patients facing the bleakest of outlook and help them make choices that has led directly to a better result.
We produce a range of information booklets, a vital source of support for patients, and often their families, because the questions that worry them most are the ones that they find answered in our booklets.
We connect people affected by bowel cancer, every day through our unique online forum, where those with direct experience of bowel cancer can share these experiences in a helpful and honest way.
Our annual Patient Day brings together almost 300 patients and carers to hear from leading doctors and nurses about bowel cancer treatments and new developments, and also provides people with a place to share each other's hopes and concerns.
We campaign to make things better for bowel cancer patients and to make bowel cancer a priority in society. We campaign to make everyone aware of the symptoms and to get more people diagnosed earlier - both will save lives.
We are a voice for bowel cancer and without our voice life would be a lot worse for many dealing with bowel cancer.
So, my cycling is my personal challenge that will help Beating Bowel Cancer meet the challenge of bowel cancer for many. My target is to cycle at least 3,000 miles this year in total. This will be a step up from my normal efforts and a real stretch for me that will require dedicated training. I aim to earn your donations! Please support me via Cycling to Kazakhstan and please share it with others.
Thank you. XX
