Friedreich's Ataxia is a rare inherited disease that causes nervous-system damage, impaired muscle coordination with the first symptom usually being difficulty walking. Over the next 10 or 20 years the ataxia will gradually worsen, spreading to the arms and the trunk. Other symptoms include a loss of tendon reflexes, especially in the knees and ankles, which will disable a person with ataxia’s ability to walk over time.

In January of this year, I became speechless for the first time in my life, listening to one of my customers, a father, talk about his daughter Meg and the journey they were embarking on from her diagnosis of Friedreich's Ataxia (FA).

Meg is 15. She was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia just over a year ago, and is already dependent on a wheelchair. She has now been told that her Ataxia is far more aggressive than was previously suggested, and she’ll need to be fully aided and to use a fully automated wheelchair within the next year. There is no cure for Ataxia: the only guarantee with FA is that tomorrow will be ever so slightly worse than today; there’s no way to stop it.

Not only did their story leave me speechless but both Megan and Richard's bravery and determination to do whatever it takes to beat this illness inspired me to want to be apart of this journey with them and help in any way I could.

So here we are, bike and helmet purchased having not cycled since I was 12 years old, embarking on a journey of my own to help Megan with hers.

Over the weekend of the 28th-29th July 2018 I will be taking part in the Prudential Bike Ride London - Surrey 100 as my warm up, following it up with a 3 Day Epic from 18-20 September 2018: a bike ride from London to Mount Snowdon in North Wales, followed by a climb up to the summit. That’s 250 miles on a bike and a 3000ft assent to the summit of Mount Snowdon in just three days.

We are building a team of 30 to 40 people to take part. This is the most unforgettable EPIC Sportif event of the year and we’re all training not just to achieve this huge journey, but to support ataxia research that could change Meg’s, and many others’ futures forever so please make any donation you can.

Thank you and wish us luck!!

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