When you are growing up you take things for granted, especially when your parents are involved and when you become a parent yourself you realise just how much they did for you and that actually it was all out of love and that they just wanted you to be happy and succeed in life. 

When you lose a key figure in your life like your dad whose always been there for you, looked after you, loved you and guided you through tough times your realisation of their devotion to you is overwhelming.

In February 2018 my dad, Derek Young was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin Lymphoma - this was devastating news.

I received a call from my sister on 31st January to say that my dad who had been suffering with flu like symptoms for 8 weeks was just not getting any better and that i needed to go and try to sort things out. When I arrived I took one look at my dad and realised that this was not flu and that he had to be seen straight away.

I took him to the Doctor who had previously just prescribed steroids and anti-biotics however his realisation at this point was that he needed to be urgently transferred to hospital for tests.

After the diagnosis my Dad was immediately put on a course of chemo therapy and was responding well, he was in remission by the June.

Unfortunately soon after the news about the remission, my Dad relapsed, the chances of survival after relapse reduces significantly and we were told the worst possible news on 1st August 2018.

The disease took a hold of my Dad rapidly, his decline was harrowing and was quickly transferred to palliative care shortly before he passed away on 30th August 2018.

I want to raise as much money as I can for the bloodwise charity to help their cause in fighting this terrible disease, so me and my good friend Paul Wareham are cycling from London to Paris on 3rd October 2019 which my dad did himself many years ago. 

Thank you for your support!

Eliot & Paul