Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I would imagine that there are not many families who have not been touched in some way by Cancer. My support for Marie Curie comes from experiencing terminal illness outside of a recognised hospice support structure and the additional stress and worry that this caused for all concerned.

We lost my eldest sister Linda in May 2015 through Cancer.
Linda had been diagnosed with cancer twelve years previously on the eve of moving to Cyprus to start a new life with her partner Dave, both of them excited to be heading to the sun and taking on a new chapter in their lives.Due to Linda’s prevailing condition any medical insurance taken out would not cover her while overseas against further treatment related to her cancer.

She tackled her illness with passion and overcame the many hurdles that came her way and went into remission following a number of operations and treatments. Her new life in Cyprus began and, while regular check-ups would remind her of her position as someone who had survived cancer, she embraced her new life and found many new friends and opportunities in her newly adopted home. The prospect of her illness returning was never far away, sadly in late 2014 the reappearance of cancer was confirmed.

A final attempt to arrest the situation through another major operation did not deliver the results that we all hoped for, Linda’s condition became critical and we were reliant on her final days being managed
through the equivalent of the public sector health care system in Cyprus. Within Cyprus there is no recognition of what we would consider palliative care within a hospice organisation. It was clear for all of her family gathered around that, while the medical professionals managed her pain relief to the best of their ability, the final hours of her life were spent in a general ward with noise, other patients and visitors in the vicinity, no 'one on one' care or compassion and certainly no dignity. It crystallised for all of us present the great work that the Hospice organisations across the UK deliver on a daily basis. Giving real care when it is most needed to both patient and relatives alike.

When I contrast our experience with my sister’s passing with
friends and family who have dealt with the same scenario within the hospice environment I am struck by how much comfort they have taken, knowing that their relative or friend has been cared for to the end with a very real emphasis on peace and dignity.

Initially I was not looking to ride for charity on this occasion. The recent passing of a family member reminded me of the invaluable work that Marie Curie do and I would ask for any support you feel able to give to help motivate me on my way and also deliver a contribution to this great organisation. I have self-funded my ride so any contribution will go directly to Marie Curie.