This weekend (8-10th Sept 2011) I hope to make light of 20 years of inactivity to cycle 250 miles with 12 brave colleagues from Sheffield Haworth - from London to Paris.

I am doing so in part as a significant personal challenge to fight off middle-age-girth-growth, but much more importantly to raise much needed and greatly appreciated funds for the SMA Trust

I have been inspired to make this ride after hearing about Tim Sheffield's son who undertook his own "MAD" challenge when he drove his wheelchair coast to coast across the country earlier this summer. Tim's son is one of three children I know who have SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy), which is a devastating, genetic disease.

It is a leading genetic killer of infants and toddlers, with 50% of the most severely diagnosed cases resulting in death by the age of two. Children with a less severe form of SMA face the prospect of progressive muscle wasting, loss of mobility and motor function. But their minds are unaffected resulting in bright, intelligent children with varying degrees of physical impairment. SMA Trust is seeking to raise £2m this year to fund the medical research which is now close to finding a cure.

To see Freddie Sheffield's very poignant 104 second clip about SMA and his own MAD challenge, click the link below.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW4FJlmTOvE

 

I really appreciate your support and would be most grateful for any and all donations, however small.

Thank you for reading this, and also for the time and patience you will no doubt require if you click to donate !!! I know it is a slow and painful process.