Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page and I will really appreciate it if you can read this page - my story.

I'm Gary Duncanson, 35, and I'm a mental health nurse. I have 2 boys, Lucas and Billy, with my partner Jenny. Billy was born with a heart condition/defect where his heart was not wired up properly, stopping him receiving oxygen into the correct chamber of his heart. To save his life, he required open heart surgery to cut this valve out and replace it in the correct chamber.

Furthermore, the valve that needed removal was increasingly becoming blocked making his situation even more life-threatening as time passed. He also had a chest infection and a partly collapsed lung. Even if he pulled through the surgery, the infection alone could have take his life. He was just 2 weeks old.

He was admitted to the intensive care ward at the Children's Hospital at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) after being transferred from York Hospital on 1 November 2014. He had his operation the next day. 

Billy is now a fit and healthy 18-month-old, stressing his very lucky parents out, as all young children do!

So, me and three friends are cycling from the heart of English football - Wembley Stadium - to the heart of French football - Stade de France in Paris. We set off on 6 June and are due to arrive in Paris on 10 June in time for the start of Euro 2016. Another friend is driving a suuport car. It would mean so much to me and the CHSF if people could donate on this page. All costs of the trip are coming out of our own pockets and all money raised will go directly to the charity - the CHSF.

The Children's Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF) help fund training and equipment, plus legal fees as they fought to save the Children's Hospital which was threatened with closure. They won, keeping it open for families across Yorkshire.

CHSF is a charity well worthy of help and donations - every donation will go a long way to saving children's lives. I wish no-one to go through what we did but the Children's Hospital at the LGI and the CHSF are a much-needed service, there for everyone.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe on JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity - so it's the most efficient way to donate. For more on the great work of the CHSF please visit www.chsf.org.uk

Thank you