I’ve cycled LEJOG twice. I’ve shaved off all my hair. I’ve baked dozens of cakes…

But it wasn't enough.

I’ve already raised over £25,000 for a range of charities – principally the MS Society, as my mother has Secondary Progressive MS (read about how this affected me here). Since writing this, things haven’t got better – the type of MS my mum has is degenerative and is only going to go in one direction. But I can’t sit down and do nothing. If I can raise funds to help others in my situation – if I can play even a tiny role in finding a meaningful cure – then at least something good will have come out of my pain. I’ve been considering what to do next for several years now.

Then, in 2017, I had a mental health breakdown (see some words I wrote about this here). When I started sharing my experiences online so many people came out of the woodwork with their own mental health story. Friends, family, colleagues – I learned that I wasn’t alone. But I also learned how much pain people people suffer in silence – how much we bottle up, and how serious the consequences of this can be. And if there’s something I can do – by sharing, by talking, and by raising money to support those who need it… then maybe the hell I went through will have been worth it.

So there it is. I can’t fix my mum. I can’t make depression and anxiety disappear. But I can’t do nothing. So, I decided to cycle across America, setting off in April 2022 and riding 3800 miles over three months. I crossed the finish line in San Francisco on the 13t July 2022, and am now continuing to top up my fundraising total. I am fundraising for several charities - this page is for the MS Society. 

To keep up to date with my progress visit www.antonyjcbutcher.com, https://www.facebook.com/AntonyAcrossAmerica, or find me on Instagram - Antony's Adventures. Anything you can give for this worthy cause would be greatly appreciated.