I have decided to carry out this intense challenge to raise funds and awareness for the MS Trust however not content with just doing the John O’Groats to Lands End cycle I have also decided to include a bale push on my 9th day after an already long day cycling.

The bale push is an annual event held in Crantock, Cornwall. This event involves teams of 4 pushing a full size bale, standing 4’ 6” & we...ighing 420lbs, around a pre-determined route in Crantock village. As with most Cornish villages there is no flat route and I am lucky to have 3 local friends help me with this part of my challenge. You can read more about this event at www.balepush.co.uk.

I knew i wanted to do something to raise funds/awareness of MS but hadn’t really thought about what specific ‘challenge’ I wanted to do. The idea of the John O’Groats to Lands End cycle was thrown around and the rest is history. Originally starting with a number of us this has now become a sole challenge.
Many of the people i have spoken to about this think i am absolutely crazy. Picture this – I am not a small guy 5’ 11” tall & 18st in weight and used to playing sports such as rugby in the position of a prop forward. This challenge is going to be tough I am under no illusion of that.

The MS Trust is a charity close to my heart. My fiancé was diagnosed with MS late last year (2013) after 4 long years of struggling to get answers. After receiving this answer and a little bit of research we could not believe how the treatment and the knowledge of the disease had progressed with constant new developments. Much of this progression would not have been possible without the fundraising which is carried out by many. The money raised does not just provide the funds for research and development but the MS Trust also provides valuable support to those suffering with MS and their families.

Not only has MS affected my family directly but I have met some amazing people who have been touched by this disease one way or another. The main person is my boss & the brain behind the bale push – his late wife being an MS sufferer – he has given me some of the extra support and encouragement needed to carry out this challenge. There is nothing I can do directly to help my fiancé other than through support therefore the best thing I can do is raise awareness and funds to assist the MS Trust to carry on with the fantastic work they already do.

Every little helps and this money can help provide:
£1 – one copy factsheet which provides essential, up-to-date information about MS symptoms and treatments
£2.50 - one copy of an information book which can support a person newly diagnosed with MS
£3.50 - one copy of Way Ahead (our quarterly newsletter for health professionals)
£5 - Open Door (our quarterly MS newsletter) for a year for one person
£5 - to send out Kids’ and Parents’ guide to MS to a family affected by MS
£10 - the cost of a telephone enquiry to one of our information specialists, allowing them to provide essential support to a person with MS
£76 - the cost of a nurse or therapist attending a regional study day, where they can learn practical information to inform their work with patients with MS
£90 - for a person with MS to participate in an information day with expert speakers
£112 - for a day of the researcher’s time in a study of family relationships for severely disabled people with MS
£200 - per month cost of our Medline research bulletins, which are a comprehensive and up-to-date review of developments in the world of MS research
£250 - per day for the MS Trust’s MS Nurse specialist; who plays a crucial part in our campaign to improve the quality of services available to people with MS
£675 - for a health professional to attend our annual conference, which brings together over 300 multidisciplinary health and social care professionals who share a commitment to improve MS care
£700 - one issue of our Way Ahead newsletter to all Therapists in MS (TiMS) therapists
£840 - one issue of our Way Ahead newsletter to all MS Nurses
£890 - cost of running one of our chatrooms, which give people the opportunity to ask questions of health professionals with expertise in the topic and to share experiences and problems with others in a similar situation.
£1,765 – to fund a newly-appointed MS nurse on our week-long Development module.

I really do appreciate anything you are able to donate & thank you so much for your support.
I will upload as much of my journey as I go so please follow me in both the ups and the downs and
share with as many people as you can.