Most of my friends and family know how much I like my cycling and what better way to see the world than to combine cycling with a fund-raising event? This time I'm off to Madagascar to help raise money for Lepra.

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease of the skin and nerves which, if untreated, can lead to deformities. Every year over 300,000 new cases are detected, a fifth of whom are children. Those with leprosy are often cast out from their communities and are shunned by society. The shame of it is, this is a totally curable disease and if treated early enough, deformities need not occur. Once treatment is started a person is non-infectious.

In September I will be cycling nearly 500km through the heat of Madagascar, staying in a variety of accommodation (e.g. wooden, thatched houses, Mission Catholique, local school/hospital, and wait for it... with 'the Sisters'). Don't forget when conjuring up this vision to include me under a mosquito net.

Please don't be embarrassed to donate as little as £5; the fivers soon add up and £3,000 pays for a medical officer for one year to help cure people of leprosy, £1,100 will pay for a physiotherapist for one year.

I will of course be paying for the cost of the trip myself so every penny raised will be going to Lepra.

Thank you (again for some of you), very much for supporting me and Lepra.

Ros x