As many of you know, my wife Tracy was diagnosed last December with stage 4 melanoma - the subsequent months have seen her and our family having to come to terms with her diagnosis and the stresses and strains of the treatment with all of its many side effects. 

It has been an emotional roller coaster, Tracy has been through a hell of a lot over the past 4 months as we have had to adjust our lives to our "new normal". The support we have received has been amazing and we thought it would be fitting to try and give something back. Melanoma Focus is a small but important charity that helps to bring tangible improvements that make real differences to the lives of melanoma patients.

Every penny raised brings nearer the day we finally beat cancer - the treatment Tracy is on wasn't around 3 years ago,  without it our prognosis would be extremely bleak. Scientists are closing in on the way melanoma manages to reinvent itself and defy the drugs that fight it, every penny raised towards that goal brings the day of breakthrough ever nearer.

I truly hope you are able to sponsor me for this event - it's a 130 mile bike ride over 2 days at the end of May. We start from the Irish sea coast at Whitehaven in the North West of England - across the Lake district to Alston on day 1,  then on Day 2 it's onward to Sunderland over on the North sea coast - crossing the Pennines along the way - it is not flat Essex at all up there - some fierce climbs and some equally lively descents. It will be a challenge for my old bones but definitely for a good cause, which as you can imagine is very close to my heart.

Please sponsor me , if you are a taxpayer remember to add the gift aid - ANY amount big or small will help. 

The nearer we get to beating this disease the better for all of us - incredibly more than 1 in 3 of us will at some stage face cancer in our lifetimes - so please be as generous as you can.

Martyn & Tracy Mead.

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