I am writing this message for my amazing and very special two and half year old son Patrick Skinner, who has been through more in his short little life than most ever would in a lifetime.

After keeping all his friends and family highly entertained every single day with his cheeky ways (especially at his nursery where he had lots of friends) he was unfortunately diagnosed with AML Leukemia in July 2008. He bravely fought it off and was in remission for just 3 weeks, and was looking forward to his first `proper' christmas when, due to one of the chemotherapy drugs, his heart failed less than a week before christmas.

He was stabalised but unfortunately again he deteriorated and had to be put on a double Berlin Heart on Boxing Day, which is basically an external heart that is keeping him alive while he waits for a heart transplant.  

Patrick received the best treatment while being treated for his Leukemia at the RVI by all the doctors and nurses (who he became quite fond of!) and also has had outstanding treatment from all the staff, and especially the surgeons at the Freeman hospital, so this is why we have decided to do a fundraising 140 mile Coast to Coast Bike Ride from Whitehaven in Cumbria to Tynemouth, IN JUST 2 DAYS....... All for the Childrens Ward 16 at the RVI and the Transplant Ward at the Freeman  Hospital.

This grueling treck will test minds, legs and backsides - but if we show half as much fight as my little man Patrick has so far, we'll all do it no bother.

Please give generously.

Thank You

Kevin

PS: Patrick finally got his heart transplant on 9th of March and is doing really really well. We are all so happy and thankful to the family who donated it, they will be forever in our thoughts.