I am challenging myself to ride to work twice a week in support of the Joe Glover Trust. The Trust supports families with children suffering from cancer who are cared for by the Piam Brown Paediatric Oncology Ward in Southampton General Hospital.
This is a charity close to my heart because of what happened to Ben Loyns. Ben was a pupil at Halterworth Primary School where I am a Governor.
Ben became ill in July 2010 and was diagnosed with a tumour on his chest the size of his fist. Ben was admitted to the Piam Brown Paediatric Oncology Ward and doctors identified the cancer as an anaplastic large cell lymphoma but gave him an 80% chance of survival.
I am aged 55 and live in Romsey and the distance to my office in Southampton is about 8 miles. I am not an experienced cyclist or particularly fit so cycling to work is a challenge for me. My aim is to cycle in at least twice a week from 18 April 2011 to 30 September. Allowing for holidays that is 20 weeks or 40 trips.
I am asking people to sponsor me for each trip I do.
His chemotherapy treatment began well and Ben returned to school in September but soon after the cancer began to spread.
Sadly, his health deteriorated in the autumn of 2010 and by December he was having difficulty in breathing and was admitted to the intensive care unit where he sadly died on 10 December 2010.
He was by all accounts a very brave little boy who never let the cancer get him down and he managed to maintain his spirits even whilst in hospital.
