On 29th September I’ll be travelling with my friend Ali to Vietnam where we’ll begin our ten day journey to cycle (on mountain bikes!) a sweltering 500km (310m) from Ho Chi Minh to Angkor Wat in Cambodia, a challenge I’m doing to help raise awareness and critical funds for a special campaign that is very close to me - ‘Battle Batten’.

Good friends of mine and parents of two special boys started the Battle Batten campaign 4 years ago to raise funds for research into the extremely rare condition their twin boys Freddie and Louie suffer from - late infantile variant CLN5 Batten disease, a genetic, and cruel neurological condition.

This is the biggest challenge I have ever undertaken with the humidity and heat there to remind us of the challenge the children we’re supporting go through every day! Training for months with cycling, boot camps and weekly PT sessions I’m hoping I’ve built enough stamina just to survive!

Freddie and Louie, 13 years old in September 2018, are the only known identical twins in the world that suffer from CLN5 Batten Disease and I invite you to follow the link below to learn more about this cruel disease.

The most compelling thing for me has been that in 5 years, the family have themselves raised an almost phenomenal £150,000 privately funding multiple research projects through British universities because there is little or no other funding. Their determination has made such a difference, with one drug trial already taking place, and I’d like to help keep the momentum through awareness and funding. www.battlebatten.com

I have fully funded the trip myself, so 100% of the money raised will go to the Battle Batten campaign.

Any advice on how to get through this (and keep my bottom in the saddle)! would also be gratefully received!

Thank you for taking the time to find out more about Battle Batten :)