Last year, my closest friends lives were profoundly changed.

Gareth's and Cat's daughter, Emily, was diagnosed with a genetic disorder called Dravet syndrome. This results in her having 200 epileptic seizures a day and she spends a lot of time in the care of the amazing staff at Peterborough City Hospital and Addenbrookes, often in induced comas. 

Dravet is a life-long condition, and Emily needs constant care. Dravet Syndrome UK help support them, and many families in their position and this is a great opportunity to give back to them, as a team with his friends and colleagues, we're riding 100 miles to Great Yarmouth.

Dravet syndrome is a very rare and severely disabling type of epilepsy that presents in infancy, sometimes called a catastrophic epilepsy. It begins in the first year of life, with frequent and prolonged seizures. It affects approximately 1 in 19,000 people and the seizures continue to be very difficult to control throughout childhood. Learning difficulties are very common and can range from mild to very severe, they usually persist and rarely improve. As the condition progresses most children become more unsteady (ataxic) on their feet. Children with Dravet syndrome will need to be cared for throughout their lives. On top of this, current treatment options are limited, and the constant care required for someone suffering from Dravet syndrome can severely impact the patient’s and the family’s quality of life. Patients with Dravet syndrome face a 15-20% mortality rate due to SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy), prolonged seizures, seizure-related accidents such as drowning, and infections.

Gareth and his family would be truly grateful for any donation that you would be willing to give to support this cause.

Thank you