The list of names is growing

It is very touching to receive each name for my 100miles100names Ride London tribute. Each name has a story and I am grateful for all the donations that I receive against them.

I really do want to complete the list so, please, pass this on - I want every mile to be a tribute, to ride each mile for someone with, someone who survived, or someone we have sadly lost to bowel cancer.  I hope that everyone will get something out of the fact that a mile on the 10th August will be dedicated.  I promise to take time on the day to read the list as I go along and to say the names to myself, so no-one gets forgotten.

And the 100th mile will be dedicated to all those who will get bowel cancer in the year ahead, as a symbol of Beating Bowel Cancer's ongoing support and care.  So, if you wish, you can donate for their needs.

100miles100names
Please let me have names by email mark.flannagan@beatingbowelcancer.org or via Twitter (@MarkFlannCEO) or via Beating Bowel Cancer's Facebook page. If you to donate you can via www.justgiving.com/Mark-Flannagan3.  or you can text Flan51 and your amount to 70070

Lots going on

There is so much to tell you, so bear with me while I try and squeeze it all in coherently and sensibly.

First, I am very touched at so many positive comments about my 100 miles100names plan (thanks to wonderful supporter Dafydd for the idea).  If you remember, the idea is that I ride each mile of Ride London for a named person, i.e. someone we have lost, a survivor, or someone undergoing treatment.  Each mile will be both a tribute and a reminder why we need to beat bowel cancer.  I have decided that I would like 99 names and mile 100 will be dedicated to all those who will be diagnosed with bowel cancer in the year to come. A reminder that our fight to beat bowel cancer goes on.  See below for how to let me have your name, or how to donate for that last mile.
The names so far are: Anne Carlin; Taryn (“Smithers”);Gail Allen; Philip Willingham; Bill Bonfield; Beverly Jackson; John Hepworth; Effie Macdonald; Geraint Jones; Hannah Berry;Hazel Elkamouri; Alison Selfe; Alison Michell; Tony Levy; Jane Bardsley; Stewart Coxe; Susan Wilde; John Anton;; Lisa Almond; Nia Jones; Ann Cole; Rose Sloper; Sally Tuxworth; Dafydd Farr-Jones; Susan Hill; Teresa Dealessi; Toni Millard, Ethel Randles; Billy Randles, Carly Wilton.

Canon Hillas

The second item on my list is a giant loo roll!  As part of the City of London Lord Mayor's Appeal last Friday we were able to reach out to the public in the City with our giant loo roll outside St Paul's Cathedral. The Lord Mayor, Fiona Woolf, was there to present us with a cheque for £125,000 and one of the Canons of St Paul's, Tricia Hillas, came to to show her support.  She left wearing a bum badge on her cassock.
A great day with over 1,000 leaflets handed out, many conversations had and a few individuals with possible symptoms directed to go and see their GP. If just one life was saved as a result it is worth it.

Top of Leith Hill

Now, back to the Ride London training.  A good weekend, if not the greatest distance - I did 40 then 50 miles.  But, on Saturday I met up with some of our Beating Bowel Cancer team and, along with members of Woking Cycle Club, we did part of the route, including Leith Hill.  A very early start, 7am, but a glorious day and a great ride.  Only downside was taking my eye off the road and hitting a pot hole resulting in a fall giving me a few bruises, a stiff wrist and a bumped head.  Don't worry, the bike is alright!  It was lovely to meet some of the team who are all raring to go for the day itself.  I really am grateful for their enthusiastic support.  So, thanks Lee, Keith and Jon.  Less than four weeks to go now.  In fact in four weeks my legs will be sore and I will be looking for my next challenge,

And, in more news, I have chosen a bike.  It is a Giant Defy 1 and I hope to pick it up within the next week or so so that I can train on it and then do Ride London on it.  It is a gorgeous machine and perfect for a novice like me.  Take a look: Defy 1.

100miles100names
Please let me have names by email mark.flannagan@beatingbowelcancer.org or via Twitter (@MarkFlannCEO) or via Beating Bowel Cancer's Facebook page. If you to donate you can via www.justgiving.com/Mark-Flannagan3.  or you can text Flan51 and your amount to 70070

100 miles 100 names

As I do the Ride London I want each mile to be a tribute to those with bowel cancer, and to those whom we have lost to bowel cancer. So, on the day of the event - 10th August - I will ride each mile for one named person and I want you to give me each name.

It will be the fact that each mile has a name that is special that will keep me going.  On the day I will carry all 100 names with me and at each stop take time to reflect on the names I have just "ridden a mile" for.

To do this all I need is you to let me have a name and, at the same time if you wish, donate at least £3 via my Just Giving page or via Text Giving.  If I get 100 names, and if everyone donated at least £3 that would raise £300 - the cost of running our nurse helpline for a day.  That would mean we can be there to help more people.

Please let me have names by email mark.flannagan@beatingbowelcancer.org or via Twitter (@MarkFlannCEO) or via Beating Bowel Cancer's Facebook page and I will add any I get.  I would welcome any donations people choose to make.  Our cause is good and the money raised will help us to help others.

If you do wish to give you can via www.justgiving.com/Mark-Flannagan3.  or you can text Flan51 and your amount to 70070

Thank you

Mark X

Remembering those we have lost

It is difficult to write this post because it talks about remembering those we have lost. There are days when I think about the people I had almost daily contact with and I’m caught short by the realisation that they aren't going to tweet, text, message or call me.

Staff at Beating Bowel Cancer talk to patients and their families every day.  Many of them have advanced cancer. Being there for them and helping them make sense of what is happening to them are just two of the many reasons why it’s vital that Beating Bowel cancer exists.  Every member of the team feels it very deeply when we lose someone. Quite truthfully and horribly people die and we mourn them. The fact that it happens too frequently does not mean it gets less painful. It is not for any of us "just a job".

As Chief Executive of a cancer charity I feel it is my responsibility to remember every day that our purpose is to both be there when people need us and to make bowel cancer a rare and not a common cancer killer. This is not for me an abstract motivation.  In the four years I have had the privilege of leading the charity my view on life has been changed by meeting individuals facing the bleakest of prospects.  Each one has shown me that dealing with something that is normally unthinkable, our death, is often done with dignity and humour.

That is why remembering individuals who are no longer with us is, for me, a personal tribute to their life.  I discussed this with colleagues and it was only then that I learned about the Much Loved website that allows tributes to be made to those we have lost.  I am pleased that we have now joined this and hope that this online service will help those who are mourning.  It allows you to leave messages and fond memories of loved ones. It is just one thing we can do to help remember people we have lost.

In tribute to those people, and for everyone who has been affected by bowel cancer, I’ll be taking part in Ride London on 10 August, cycling 100 miles to raise much needed funds for our work. If you can, please be generous and donate via www.justgiving.com/Mark-Flannagan3. 

The Hills!!!!

That's it.  I have "done" the dreaded Ride London hills in one session.

Newlands - tick.  Leith - tick.  Box - tick (and pleasurable)

Ok, I did them after just 20+ miles, not the 55+ on the day, but there is time to do more before 10th August. I was still smiling after them (see photo) and even after doing just over 70 yesterday I still had room for more.  I concentrated yesterday on my fuel and that seemed to work.  I am ignoring the nay sayers who mention glycogen rushes each time I take a bite of home-made flap jack.  Yesterday was a good day, particularly after Saturday's planned ride was a wash out.  The country side was glorious.  The chilly start turned into perfect temperatures for ride.  The company of Woking Cycle Club was, as always, lovely.

So, I have a start time of 8.07, which annoyed me as I feel it is too late.  But, parking at London Bridge is booked and I am giving someone a lift.  The day is coming.  Getting excited.  Can't wait.

In my next blog I will say more about why this event is important to me and my plans to remember some of those we have lost. In the meantime, keep spinning!

I would like your support. £300 could run our nurse helpline for a day. £100 could enable our patient volunteers to talk to local groups to raise awareness. £50 could cover the cost of running our online patient forum for a day, where patients talk to each other, providing support and reassurance. If you can, please be generous and donate via www.justgiving.com/Mark-Flannagan3.

An interesting and educational weekend

Every time out on the bike I learn something new - hills, cadence, fuelling properly, etc. This weekend I learned lots - including something I don't want to see again.

To begin with lessons learned and some team work arose out of a bad situation.  A lovely ride to take in Box Hill with seven others on Saturday turned into a close call for one and his pelvis broken.  We were coming down the other side of Box Hill and Mike was taking a corner when his brakes locked, he skidded into an oncoming van and ended up on his back in the middle of the road.  Result was ambulance, paramedic, assorted police cars (including a full road traffic accident team), a stressed out group of cyclists and a phone call to his wife.  Mike has broken his pelvis in two places and we are waiting to see how long to recover. No Ride London to raise funds for the MS Society for him (we had just been talking fundraising tips).  The lessons?  Things can change very quickly. When accidents happen everyone has a role and people come together very well.  So, not a nice thing to happen but the team came together.  Mike has all our best wishes for a speedy recovery. And I don't think his back wheel is fixable!

Not going anywhere - new wheel needed

We rode back under a cloud and completed the 46 miles at a slower speed than we set out to.  A real shame as we were all on a high after taking Box Hill pretty much easily.

The talk at the Woking Cycle Club meet up on Sunday was about Mike and wishing him well.  Then off to Windsor town centre for our half way stop.  This ride, 32 miles total, was another reminder how dodgy it can be to be on the roads.  It seemed that there were more drivers than ever trying to overtake at speed, getting frustrated when they couldn't (and why do they insist on doing so on a blind bend?), pulling in on our riders and then shouting or showing abuse.   Time for education that riding single file isn't an option as that makes overtaking harder (longer line to drive past), that two abreast is safer for everyone and that, frankly, car drivers being an unmentionable doesn't help.

Anyway...the ride was pleasant despite some drivers (and many were really very good) and I added to the 32 miles with another 24 of my own to make 56 miles in one go - key goal reached.  Over 100 miles in two days.  Legs aren't too tired, I slept well and raring to go (after two rest days to come).

Next Sunday we plan to recce the Surrey Hills part of the Prudential Ride London route, including doing Leith Hill.  Aiming for 60+ miles too.  So, despite an accident and being conscious of the road, I am feeling very positive about cycling.  Can't stop now. Seven weeks and it will be done and I will be looking for my next challenge.

I would like your support. £300 could run our nurse helpline for a day. £100 could enable our patient volunteers to talk to local groups to raise awareness. £50 could cover the cost of running our online patient forum for a day, where patients talk to each other, providing support and reassurance. If you can, please be generous and donate via www.justgiving.com/Mark-Flannagan3.

The difference we make and why I need your support

The Beating Bowel Cancer nurses - Louisa, Jenny, Gill & Gary

Eight weeks this Sunday I will be out there cycling 100 miles in the Prudential Ride London for Beating Bowel Cancer.  Every mile will be dedicated to the memory of those we have lost and to all those affected by bowel cancer in so many ways. I hope to include as many of these names as possible on my ride shirt on the day.

I am immensely proud of the work Beating Bowel Cancer does.  We do a huge amount to beat the UK's second biggest cancer killer. One service I am particularly proud of is our nurse helpline - the only one for bowel cancer patients. What our nurses do makes a difference. For example, our nurse Gary recently spent an hour and a half on the phone with one patient, listening, providing information and reassurance, and discussing possible treatment options. That call made a huge difference to the person at the other end. It is just one example of the difference we make.

We are there for patients every day. We help and support thousands every year. That is why I have set my ambitious goal to raise £10,000 by taking part in Ride London. This sum will be a significant help towards funding our vital services.

I would like your support. £300 could run our nurse helpline for a day. £100 could enable our patient volunteers to talk to local groups to raise awareness. £50 could cover the cost of running our online patient forum for a day, where patients talk to each other, providing support and reassurance. If you can, please be generous and donate via www.justgiving.com/Mark-Flannagan3.