Hi

Thank you for taking time to visit our JustGiving page.

Becky and I have talked often about getting fit but never really did much more than that, until Becky became involved in a project that would provide a new unit for Cystic Fibrosis sufferers at the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield…. This got us thinking that maybe we could combine getting fit and helping raise funds for charities of our choice….

I have to admit that it was Becky who originally suggested doing the Coast to Coast cycle ride, I immediately said yes without considering the logistics and more importantly how far it was!

For those who are not sure what the Coast 2 Coast is, it will involve us setting off from Whitehaven (including dipping our wheel in the sea at the start) on the West Coast and hopefully 3 days and a 140 miles later finishing at Sunderland. The Coast 2 Coast has been completed in a day but alas neither of us are fit enough, or on my part young enough to attempt that feat.

To give you a little idea of the effort that will go into this, we will at our highest point (and also probably our lowest point) have climbed 1998ft at Black Hill in the North Pennines.

We do have some extra support, by the name of Anthony Coates (VisiDeck), who will not only be providing us with well needed morale boosting but transporting our equipment between our rest points.

We have been training since January, however lost 3 weeks due to illness but are now back trying to get as many miles in as possible before the 22 May.

We have, through our own personal reasons decided to raise money for 2 well deserving charities

Mind & Sheffield Hospitals Charitable Trust - Cystic Fibrosis Appeal

And to help you decide (or hopefully you can give to both) we have included a little bit of information

Mind

By supporting this charity you will be helping Mind to continue its vital work with the 1 in 4 people who experience mental distress at some point in their lives. Minds local branches help provide crucial support services for people experiencing mental health problems, and a confidential helpline MindinfoLine provides confidential advice and support for people in distress, who might otherwise have nowhere to turn.

Each year MindinfoLine responds to 25,000 queries. A further 17,373 queries go unanswered due to lack of resources.

Depression will be the 2^nd leading cause of Global disability burden by 2020

Sheffield Hospitals Charitable Trust - Cystic Fibrosis Appeal

I (Becky) have been part of the team designing a new unit at the Northern General Hospital. The staff, patients and their families have worked so hard to get this project off the ground and the charity contributions are what will make it so unique.

The unit, which is due to be completed in June will;

Provide 12 inpatient beds

Vastly improve the patient environment, which has been shown to boost clinical outcomes**

Help reduce the risk of cross-infection, which is especially important in Cystic Fibrosis patients

Feel like a ‘home from home’ with private en-suite rooms

Stop young people putting off vital treatment because of inadequate facilities

Feature a team of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and dieticians all focused on the needs of young people fighting this debilitating illness

Offer a light and airy space for young people undergoing treatments which often require lengthy hospital stays

Cystic Fibrosis is the UK’s most common life threatening inherited disease affecting babies, children and young adults. Each week 5 babies are born with Cystic Fibrosis and 3 young lives are lost.

So, I hope you will agree that these charities need and deserve our help. Please, please, please give what you can.

We have added a link to the other JustGiving page, which will give you an option to choose your charity or hopefully give to both! http://www.justgiving.com/Rebecca-Haverty

I hope that you will also follow our blog of our progress and also the highs and lows of the bike ride too.

 

Thank you

Becky Haverty & Kirstie North

 

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So please dig deep and donate now.