Those who know Ciara will be fully aware of the fact that she suffers with having Rett Syndrome. This September she will turn 9-years-old, which will also mark the 7 year anniversary of her being diagnosed.

Many will know that since her diagnosis, Team Ciara/Team Ciara Cycling/Ciara's Centurions were set up to raise awareness of Rett Syndrome and to fundraise for the charity Reverse Rett.

To date, in excess of £100,000 has been raised by Team Ciara, all of which has gone to help fund the ongoing search for a cure.

At this point in time, while we continue to fundraise for a cure, we feel that at least some of our fundraising should now be for something that will be of immediate benefit for Ciara.

The past year has been Ciara's toughest so far, with the need to have a Gastrostomy feeding tube, worsening seizures and a progression of her spinal scoliosis, which will end up with having major spinal surgery. Only recently, Ciara was admitted to the PICU at Manchester Children's Hospital due to seizures and Pneumonia. We genuinely through at one point that we were going to lose her. Ciara's vulnerability has never been more apparent than over the past year.

It is heartbreaking on a daily basis to see Ciara growing up and constantly being unable to do the kinds of things that all children should be doing throughout their childhood and not being able to look forwards to a life full of choices. It is with this in mind that we want to do something for Ciara that will improve her quality of life in the here and now.

Ciara's older brother, Michael, and younger sister, Sofia, both love being out and about on their bikes, with Michael often saying that he loves the fact that we are 'cycling family'. Unfortunately, due to Rett Syndrome, this isn't really the case as Ciara is always left behind at home with her Mum looking after her.

Gayle and I would really love for all five of us to be able to go out riding our bikes together as a family and for Ciara to feel fully included.

For this to happen, Ciara would have to have a specialist wheelchair bike. The Van Raam Veloplus would fit the bill perfectly.

Thank you for taking the time to visit our fundraising page. xxx