Thank you very much for taking the time to visit mine & Matt's JustGiving page which is to raise funds for The Christie by riding Manchester to Blackpool on the 10th of July 2022.

Hopefully my countless Facebook / Instagram posts or tweets have brought you here.

Those who know me well, know I have taken part in The Manchester to Blackpool & Manchester 100 ( miles ) bike rides several times now and that I have done these rides to raise funds for The Christie and that does not change this year.

Why The Christie I hear you ask !

Well, my Dad & Gran were treated by The Christie back in 2010/11, then my Dad again back in 2016 and then my cousin Graham back in 2020.

This year is different tho, this time I am the patient as well as fundraiser.

On the Wednesday before Christmas I collapsed in work.  After a few days of test and scans, I was told on Christmas Eve that I had a cancerous brain tumour.

I was then put under the care of Mr Matt Bailey FRCS ( Neuro Surgeon ) at Salford Royal. Mr Bailey operated on me mid January and removed a large proportion of the tumour. After the operation I asked Matt if he would be interested in taking part in the bike ride due to his interest in cycling, Matt said he would be willing to join me in doing the ride.

At the end of January I was then put under the care of Dr Colaco at The Christie for 6 weeks of radiotherapy & chemo.

At the time this is posted, I will have just started my second round of chemo.

As a result, I have seen first-hand the treatment and care provided and more importantly where your donations go and the difference they make to patients as well as the patients families.   

The Christie is the largest single site cancer centre in Europe, and treats over 60,000 people every year. Sadly many people will have had a personal experience of cancer and therefore The Christie. As well as serving a population of 3.2 million people across the North West more than a quarter of patients being referred from across the UK, as The Christie offers services that just are not available anywhere else in the UK.

The funds raised by this event will continue to fund above and beyond what the NHS provides, keeping The Christie a world leader in cancer care and treatment, and helping to further the research into how cancer is treated.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure.Your details are safe with 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 - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Thank you for your support

Gareth & Matt