Story
<p>Hello.</p>
<p><br />My name is Paul Burden and I had intended to travel from John o’ Groats to Lands End by handcycle, powered only by my arms. Unfortunately in April 2009, with training well under way, I contracted necrotising fasciitis, a flesh eating bug and lost my right arm at the shoulder. I am not one to be put off though! I have found a new bike that I will do the ride on using my only remaining leg for power and my remaining arm for steering brakes and gears. Timescales have had to be put back a while though to May/June 2012 at the earliest to give me time to recover from my arm loss and to get training again. My goal is to raise £500,000 for Cancer Research. Please help me achieve this target by donating as much as you feel you are able.</p>
<p><br />One in three of us will experience cancer first hand. Cancer Research seeks to enable earlier diagnosis, better treatments and cures to enable future generations to live long healthy lives.</p>
<p><br />I myself first experienced cancer (osteosarcoma) at the age of 13, and lost my leg to it. Later in my ‘teens, I had major surgery to remove secondary tumors in my lungs. I owe much to the medical intervention I received, and the research behind it. I am now at the ripe age of 48, married, with 4 children.</p>
<p><br />In 2007 I contracted another cancer (squamous cell carcinoma) in my cheek. This was sucessfully removed in a 9.5 hour operation in November of that year. </p>
<p><br />I have no intention of allowing my return to health to go to waste. “Paul’s Ride for Life” will be a personal journey as well as a fundraiser for Cancer Research UK.</p>
<p><br />You can find out more about my training, my ride and my story on <a href="http://www.paulsrideforlife.co.uk" target="mytarget">www.paulsrideforlife.co.uk</a> (web page still subject to change)</p>