Dear all,

Rob Shaw here... a 61 year old surveyor and a keen sailor. Two and a half years ago I developed Motor Neurons Disease and now have no speech or ability to swallow - I eat by a tube into my stomach called a 'Peg'. I now also have limited dexterity, as very simply, with MND, parts of your body gradually stop working.

Whilst I have sailed hundreds of miles, I have never sailed the Atlantic... but on Sunday 22nd November I set off across the Atlantic Ocean in the ARC race, from the Canary Islands to St. Lucia. Subject to conditions we should arrive about 17 days later - a voyage of approximately 2,800 miles! On completion of this voyage, I will be the first person in the world with MND to sail the Atlantic.

I have always been an active and adventurous person - climbing Kili with my daughter, Kate, about 5 years ago and trekking in the Himalayas with Jean, my wife, and our two sons, Jack and Guy. In the past, I also used to race and rally cars in the UK and Europe, winning some championships along the way - it all ended with the arrival of a family!!

The ARC race is a box I've always wanted to tick - but now it is even more important... I am doing this with 5 other good friends who I have sailed with for many years. I am doing this not just for me but to help raise the awareness for MND (an incurable degenerative disease) and also for other people in a similar position, to prove we can live 'sort of' normal lives, with a bit of planning.

On the trip I will not be just a passenger - my job and expertise is doing all the navigation, plotting weather systems and making sure we sail the fastest route for the conditions, and not getting us lost!!

At present there is no cure for MND, and why you get the disease is still unknown. But compared to the "big killers" like cancer, stroke, heart attacks, etc. there are only a few of us affected (approx. 5000 people at any one time in the UK). So funds for research are limited - therefore the more I raise for the charity the more potential for research and a possible cure in the near future.  

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page and supporting me in this challenge.

Please give generously - and to all of you who have, very many thanks!!

If you would like to follow our journey, take a look at our blog:
http://www.jasmina2009arc.blogspot.com/