Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Having lost members of my family to cancer it came a real shock to me in January 2016 when one of my best friends was diagnosed with Oesophageal Cancer.

Thankfully, it was caught early, but still required Ian to have a major operation (8 hours) and an oesophagectomy in April 2016. This removed the cancer and most of his
oesophagus with it, so was life changing for Ian.

Ian was the person that nagged me to get on a bike and go riding with him (the first time I'd sat in the saddle for over 25 years. It was therefore great to see him well enough to ride again after his operation. Whilst still not fully recovered he's getting better all the time. As part of that recovery I suggested we do a cycling challenge and use the opportunity to raise some money for charity.

At the end of August we're going to cycle 280 miles in 4 days from London to Brussels.

Day 1: London to Harwich - 65 miles & catch the overnight ferry to the Hook of Holland.

Day 2: Hook of Holland to Amsterdam - 55 miles.

Day 3: Amsterdam to Breda - 85 miles.

Day 4: Breda to Brussels - 75 miles.

This will be a serious challenge for both me and for Ian and be a really memorable way to mark us both turning 50 years old.

I'd like to help raise money for two good causes and plan to do this by supporting a charity called the Health Tree Foundation. They work in partnership with the Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust covering the Grimsby, Scunthorpe & Goole area.

They'll ensure that 50% of the money raised will go to support Oesophageal Cancer research and help support those with this condition. The other 50% will go to the Health Tree Foundation's Maternity Bereavement Suite Appeal for Scunthorpe Hospital's Maternity Unit. Ian's wife is a midwife and she's leading the appeal to make this happen.

Both are really great causes and to ensure I can support them I need to raise a minimum of £1600 by the middle of June. Please give generously and if you do I promise not to post any more photos of me in lycra - so a win-win really.

Thanks for supporting me and the Health Tree Foundation.

Dave