What series of events leads three students of “the lost generation” to tackle the roads of Europe powered by their uninspiring excuse for legs. What stirred us to mount our metal free wheeling ponies and sweat it out on the gruelling roads down to Rome?

 

 The tale begins 2 years ago.  My family suffered the loss of its leader, my grandfather, who passed away after losing his battle of 5 years to cancer. My final conversation with this iconic figure of in my life came on Boxing Day 2010.  While the family were down stairs clearing up after the festivities, I went to see him.  In hindsight he must have known this would be one of my last conversations and began to tell me how he truly fell in love with his wife, my grandmother, while on a trip with her in Italy. It was while touring the Amalfi coast to be specific. He also told me how he and his brother went on a cycle trip when he was my age, 20, from Lands End to John O'Groats.

 

 Following the passing of my grandfather my grandmother, an equally powerful figure in my life, was diagnosed with a similar fate. She had never had time to grasp the tragic events that had lead to my grandfathers passing, affecting her attitude to life. She too was over come with what affects over 250,000 people annually in England alone, cancer. She battled for over a year through operations and treatment, but sadly we lost her in October 2012. Cancer does not only affect the patient, it affects everyone around them. My grandmother’s thick skin and vibrant spirit was torn away from us in under a month. Astonishment met with frustration as you watch the last of the pinnacle figures in your life deteriorating so rapidly.

 

Several weeks later where and the story starts to come together. After the emotion, comforting, long nights and culminating with the funeral, the house in which I had always known them to live was quiet, empty. I took this chance to explore all the places I used to as a child, open every cupboard peer behind every bookshelf, collecting and discovering old memories. I entered an old shed in which I found a 1985 Peugeot racing bike. Then the idea struck me I’d use his bike and get myself to Rome on it. I would do it to help ease the pain of other families that are also suffering.

 

And this leads me to where we are now. Myself with two friends, now budding cyclists who are willing to take the challenge are cycling to raise money for the Princess Alice Hospice. The voluntary charity that were always there for my grandparents and our family no matter how big or small the issue. They are there to provide free, holistic palliative care for patients with advanced illness and those approaching the end of their lives. They aim to enable all patients to have the best possible quality of life to the end, responding quickly to their needs and wishes. You can stay at the hospice, or as my grandmother was cared for at home, they were always there at the end of the phone for support and advice or visited at any hour of day or night for help or treatment.

 

Myself, Lloyd Bowles, along with Ross Wallace and Murray Graham aim to cover 1,604km taking us from Piccadilly Circus, London to the Coliseum in Rome leaving on the 15 of July and arriving on the 5 of August. None of us have previous bike experience; all have a questionable level of fitness on bikes with dubious levels of life left in them. Please help us help this incredible voluntary organisation by donating  and check out the Princess Alice Hospice website for a more in-depth understanding of what they do. Wish us luck. Keep updated on our journey via our blog: students on bikes. Which will contain stories , updates and information on our journey. 

 

http://studentsonbikes.wordpress.com/

 

http://www.pah.org.uk/

 

Cost break down

 

·       Average cost of one day of care in our in-patient unit £498

 

·       Average cost of each home visit £98

 

·       For every £1 donated:

 

-       85p goes to Charitable Activities

 

-       10p to fundraising to secure further donations

 

-       5p to management and administration.

 

 

 

Thank you.