Alastair's Big Bike Ride to Cornwall 2

Alastair Waldron is raising money for Phyllis Tuckwell
In memory of Stella Waldron
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For over 40 years Phyllis Tuckwell has been supporting and caring for patients and families who have been given the worst possible news in West Surrey & North East Hampshire. We rely on the support of our community as we have to raise over £25,000 every day to continue our amazing services.

Story

My wonderful wife Stella was diagnosed early in 2018 with stage 4 bowel cancer and later that year I did the Big Bike Ride to Cornwall with Stella’s sister Clare to raise money for some local Cancer related charities. It seemed fitting because our married life had started out on a bicycle ‘made for two’ as we left the wedding reception full of joy and anticipation.

In spring last year, it became obvious that Stella was
reaching the end of her life and we were very lucky to get a bed in the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice. The care that Stella, family and friends received was extraordinary and the team helped to make what was an intensely difficult time a much more positive experience. The Hospice provided a place for Stella to meet with friends, family and her beloved dogs, sometimes in the beautiful garden, to chat and to say
goodbye. At the end of her life Stella said “I am content”, and this is in no small part due to care and love she received from the Hospice team.

She died peacefully on the 8th of June, a day I will never forget. Once again, the Hospice team helped me to cope with immediate trauma and loss. 

A few week later I suffered a heart attack just as I was about to exchange contract on the sale of our home. We were planning a move to Cornwall.

Not surprising the late summer and Autumn was busy with my recovery, the move and setting up a new home in Cornwall. In the late Autumn I felt overwhelmed and once again Phyllis Tuckwell helped, providing me with a course
of grief counselling which helped me to get centred and to deal with the emotional turmoil. My counsellor was amazing, and I will always be grateful to her and
the Hospice.

I had meant to do a sponsored ride late summer last year,
but my heart attack meant that wasn’t a great idea. So here we are, a year later, and I am off on a second big ride to Cornwall. This time I am joining some friends who cycle from Kent to Cornwall most years, so I will have some company. I am meeting them in Worthing having using the Downs Link cycle track from my flat in Shalford.

We start on the 16th August and after Worthing we stop at Southampton, Dorchester, Taunton and then my beloved North Cornwall near Rock and Polzeath. The route is about 300 miles for me, and the many hills of Devon and Cornwall provide an additional challenge!  

I am hoping to raise at least £2,500 for the Hospice, as you
can imagine Covid has made 2020 a very challenging year for the charity, so anything you can give will be greatly appreciated. To find out more about their work you can visit the website www.pth.org.uk.

Thank you for your support.

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