We are part of a team of 6 Get A-Head supporters who will be grabbing our paddles and hopping into K2 Kayaks in June this year.  The purpose of the challenge is to increase the profile of the Get A-Head charitable trust, a charity that raise much needed funds to support vital research into Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (ACC) and Medullary Thyroid Cancer (MTC).

So…The challenge consists of three teams of two in double kayaks. None of the team members have ever been in a kayak before, but we will set off from Hockley Heath on 19^th June and aim to arrive in London within 48 hours. With well over 120 miles to cover and as many locks and tunnels, this is really is a challenge not to be taken on lightly, so we are already in training and taking this very seriously as we are dedicated to making this happen!

The teams are made up of people who have been personally effected by or watched a loved one be effected by a rare form of Head and Neck cancer, ACC or MTC, both of which the Get A-Head charitable trust raises funds for towards vital research. This challenge will be certain to raise the profile and funds for both of these causes.

The aim of the challenge is to raise as much money as possible for Get A Head – a charitable trust dedicated to fighting head and neck cancer. The money raised will help fund a project at the new Molecular Research Centre at The Royal Marsden to understand the genetic pathways of ACC This is currently a very rare incurable cancer with only 25 people being diagnosed with this condition each year. The money will fund a project to enable them to find targets and blockers for it. The project will require funding for the next four years.

The Team’s will be made up of:

Team one:

Carl Turbitt (6 Osbourne Croft) who instigated the event, and has been the driving force to get it done as his wife Tracy suffers from ACC

Steven Turbitt (Carl’s brother, has a love of Martial arts and is registered blind)

Team Two:

Tom Bromwich (Chairman of Get A-Head, both Tom and his family are affected by MTC),

Mark Lawton (a very good friend of Tom and his family, his fundraising is being matched by Microsoft)

Team Three:

Mark Esom (very good friend of Tom’s and has also lost a close friend to ACC)

Murray West (friend and colleague of Mark’s)

We will be updating our progress between now and the event on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/GetAhead2014 so be sure to follow their journey, there are sure to be a few fun anecdotes along the way.

If you would like to sponsor the teams and show your encouragement and support please complete the attached sponsor form,  and of course please tweet any words of encouragement by sharing on Twitter

We’re looking forward to having you all along for the ride of this exciting, fun and ambitious challenge, keep an eye on the website for updates, more getting to know the team, and your chance to be involved with supporting them along the way!

We have some fantastic support from Rybrook Motors and Monitise so far… If you work for a company that may want to get involved with this fantastic event please contact Louise at the Get A-Head office on 0121 371 5046 or Email: louise.john@uhb.nhs.uk to find out how you can get on board.

Thank you very much for your support

Carl