My story

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Many of you will know my Wife Georgie fairly well, others might have just a passing knowledge of her, but all of you will probably be aware that she has been suffering from a brain tumour for some time now. She's had brain surgery twice and has just finished a six week course of radiotherapy. So let's get some of the serious facts out of the way first.

Only 14% of brain tumour sufferers survive for more than 5 years.

More people under the age of 40 die of a brain tumour than of any other form of cancer.

Brain cancer research receives less than 1% of the national spend on cancer research in the UK.

These statements speak for themselves really. I felt that I simply had to do something to try to straighten out this funding anachronism and the best way to do this is to try to raise as much money as I can, directly, for the right research charity.

Georgina actually signed me up for this challenge after I'd been grizzling about early onset middle-age, paunch and a general decline in physical prowess. So, come May I shall be mounting the old iron horse and spending four days pedalling from London to Paris, laying waste to the villages and farmsteads around me as I go. The journey will total 300 miles, but this does not include the English Chanel (my daughter did ask if I was going to swim with my bike).

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So please dig deep and donate now.

UPDATE, 11TH FEB 2012.

Well, this morning saw me gasping my way up the Ridgeway in temperatures of minus three, in what could laughably be termed 'a training ride'. I cut the ride short, to a measly 22 miles because the black ice was so troublesome. I imagine the French won't have invented ice yet though so this does not worry me.

To more serious matters... Georgie seems to be recovering well from her radiotherapy but we need to keep our fingers crossed that it has 'done the job'. The scan to check how it all went will be crucial, but a while away yet. Meantime though she has asked me to try to publicise the following:

Brain Tumour Research through the Brain Tumour Consortium is calling on its supporters to sign a Government e-petition designed to trigger a parliamentary debate on how best to raise awareness and funding for those affected by Brain Tumours http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/17419

The petition was launched by Rachel Clark and has already attracted many hundreds of signatures but the Brain Tumour Consortium is backing Rachel’s petition in order to draw attention to the ‘three asks’ the Consortium have set out in their manifesto. These are to:

· Ensure early diagnosis and treatment by ensuring that clear guidelines on identifying the signs and symptoms of brain tumours, and on referring patients for rapid and appropriate assessment, are integrated into General Practice and Emergency Medicine Practice.

· Implement NICE’s best practice guidance by s etting a clear timetable to fully implement and audit the Improving Outcomes Guidance, or its country equivalent, in particular by ensuring that the Health and Social Care Bill maintains the progress made to date.

· Increase Government investment in brain tumour research and more accurately measure numbers of both primary and secondary brain tumours by publishing a detailed breakdown of site-specific brain tumour research funding from the Government and ensure that by 2014 at least 7.5% of adults with primary brain tumours are enrolled in randomised, controlled clinical trials as part of their therapy.

If you do sign up to the petition and would like to be kept informed of the progress the Consortium is making with the ‘three asks’ please do email them on btc@luther.co.uk c.c, sue@braintumourresearch.org and we will make sure we keep you up-to-date with developments.

Thanks for getting this far!

UPDATE 4th MAY 2012

I have been remiss in not having posted the following ages ago. I need to thank Richard Dening-Smitherman for his very kind loan of his proper road bike.
I had planned to do the ride to Paris on my 23 year old Peugeot Premiere racing bike. I thought I could swan into Paris wearing a beret and some plastic onions around my neck, over a stripy Breton shirt. The early stages of the training showed me quickly that I was going to have to take things a bit more seriously and that my kit simply wasn't 'fit for purpose'. My bike is not even a man's frame size, (it was my fifteenth birthday present) and the highest two gears did't work. I also intended to go helmetless, without lycra clothing of any type and importantly, without any sunglasses at all unless the conditions were Saharan.
This reluctance stemmed from a great fear of being seen as one of those awful cyclists with 'all the gear and no idea'. The sunglasses were I thought, just a big pose. Why wear them on cloudy days? Well the simple answer to that question is, if one doesn't wear them one's eyes are stuffed full flies after half a mile.
Anyway, Richard D-S has lent me all the kit (bar the lycra shorts...) and my trip will be far more comfortable as a result...
Thanks again Richard.

My gallery 10

My updates 12

Many thanks to Liz Castle at Dreweatts who has kindly given £25 to the cause. Absolutely wonderful that people are still giving. -Thank you so much Liz.

05/07/12 08:56

Many thanks to Chris Hatton at Durham House for sending her very kind donation, a £20 cheque. It's gone straight off to the BTRC.

31/05/12 08:54

A very kind lady at Dreweatts has just donated the boggling sum of £500 offline. She has asked to remain anonymous. It's not often I kiss the girls at work, but today I made an exception... Thank you so much.

28/05/12 14:37

I think they assumed we were French....

28/05/12 11:58

Incidentally, for a good 'life-affirming' experience, try pedalling along the Champs Elysee, round the Arc de Triomphe and along the Left Bank to Mr Eiffel's tower, in a large group of escorted cyclists, whilst being waved at, honked and cheered by assorted Frogs.

28/05/12 11:58

My Teams

My company

My charity

Brain Tumour Research Campaign

Brain Tumour Research Campaign

Charity Registration No. 295895

BTRC (in assocation with Way Ahead) works with a Neurosciences team at Charing Cross Hospital/Imperial College London to promote research into the causes and treatment of brain tumours, to raise public awareness of the need for this research and the current lack of funding.

Donations 138

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Well done Christian. Have done the ride myself, so know how tough it is! Great stuff.

Donation by Liam Beadman on 08/06/12

£50.00

+ £12.50 Gift Aid

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Bravo!

Donation by Rebecca Simmonds on 08/06/12

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Donation from the Young family in memory of our Dad Gordon.

Donation by Barbara Shaw on 06/06/12

£45.00

+ £11.25 Gift Aid

Donation by Glynis Hunt on 04/06/12

£20.00

+ £5.00 Gift Aid

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Fantastic achievement Cristian!

Donation by James Nicholson on 30/05/12

£25.00

+ £6.25 Gift Aid

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Well done Beadman - what a great achievement.

Donation by Katie Hannah on 29/05/12

£20.00

+ £5.00 Gift Aid

Chapeau as the French would say for completing your Grand Tour.

Donation by Mark Longley on 28/05/12

£50.00

+ £12.50 Gift Aid

Donation by Anonymous on 28/05/12

£20.00

+ £5.00 Gift Aid

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Unicycle would have been more challenging you iron. xxx

Donation by Oliver Dunkin on 28/05/12

£50.00

+ £12.50 Gift Aid

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No Jokes - just best wishes to you both from a very grateful client.

Donation by Laurie Kinney on 28/05/12

£100.00

+ £25.00 Gift Aid

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Congratulations on your epic cycle. Warm wishes to Team Beadman from Team Hankinson.

Donation by Jo Hankinson on 23/05/12

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Well done.

Donation by Christopher Kenyon on 22/05/12

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Good luck Cristian, you will probably need it.

Donation by edward moon on 14/05/12

£50.00

+ £12.50 Gift Aid

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Good luck Cristian! Love from us all. Xxxx

Donation by David, Nikki, Rosie and Kitty Moore on 13/05/12

£25.00

+ £6.25 Gift Aid

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Elaine, Carrie and Shirley at Durham House. Thanks so much, -money still coming in with only four days to go! Hugely appreciated.

Donation by Cristian Beadman on 12/05/12

£30.00

+ £7.50 Gift Aid

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I think you should do stationary cycling while on the ferry!

Donation by Alan Smith on 11/05/12

£50.00

+ £12.50 Gift Aid

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Many thanks to Paul and Rachael Hammond!!!

Donation by Cristian Beadman on 10/05/12

£50.00

+ £12.50 Gift Aid

Donation by Jean Thomas on 05/05/12

£20.00

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What a great effort Christian! Very good luck - and I love the photographs on your page (especially the plasticine bike!). Mel

Donation by Melanie Melsom on 04/05/12

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

Well done, Cristian. Brilliant cause and hope you will raise thousands to help Georgina and others. Enjoy the biking?! love to you all, Sarah Harris

Donation by Sarah Harris on 02/05/12

£25.00

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Best wishes and good luck with such an amazing and fun challenge! What a fantastic amount of money that you have raised so far!

Donation by Mary, Jeff & Max Tremaine on 25/04/12

£100.00

+ £25.00 Gift Aid

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In great admiration for a wonderful effort. All Best Wishes. Susan Griffith

Donation by Susan Griffith on 16/04/12

£50.00

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Many congratulations on your amazing total so far. Fiona

Donation by Fiona Foote on 30/03/12

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Well Done, with best wishes from Maria and Julian Sturdy-Morton

Donation by Anne Hobson on 22/03/12

£20.00

+ £5.00 Gift Aid

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Frogs, Roses n bikes. Lost a friend Richard Cazen to brain cancer, still a hole in our lives. Cheers to you, Cristian, and Georgie. Paul + VInce

Donation by Paul Quin on 21/03/12

£20.00

Donation summary

  • * Online donations$8,213.96
  • Offline donations$1,281.06
  • Text donations$0.00
  • Total raised$9,495.02
  • Gift Aid$1,843.14

* Charities pay a small fee for our service. Find out how much it is and what we do for it.