Please support four almost 70 year olds ( Peter Greenland, Simon Moll, Mike Yeomans, Nigel Hodge) cycling to and then up Mont Ventoux to raise money for Clic Sargent, a charity that helps families with children suffering from cancer and related illnesses.

In January my youngest grandson, - Rudy Hodge, at just 3 months – was diagnosed with JMML, a very rare form of leukaemia for which the only cure is a bone marrow transplant (BMT).

Now, 8 months on, after a perilous and difficult journey, Rudy has been declared to be in remission – hallelujah. This is almost entirely due to the incredible expertise and care shown by the medical teams at Southampton General and Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in London. These have shepherded him through time in Southampton’s paediatric intensive care unit (PICU); an emergency ambulance trip up the M3 to the PICU in GOSH; multiple blood and platelet transfusions; chemist-shop-full amounts of general drugs; chemotherapy targeted at controlling his JMML; and lastly, 3 months ago, a BMT from an angelic anonymous German lady, followed by virtual isolation whilst his immune system re-established itself with the newly grafted stem cells.

Unbroken throughout has been the love and care shown by his parents, Will and May. But behind them, making constant attendance the more possible, have been firstly, Will’s school – Will is a teacher – which gave him paid leave of absence and secondly, Clic Sargent, who have stepped in occasionally with support – both financial and in helping to arrange accommodation for Will in London during the protracted stay in GOSH.

Will and May have been fortunate to have had this support. Other equally deserving families are not so fortunate. Dads cannot always take extended paid leave; money cannot always be found for the many extra items – special car seats for instance -  that are needed when small children have diseases that necessitate lines and catheters etc.

This is where Clic Sargent help. They step in and provide assistance where needed.

I realise that you could well have supported Rudy already with the appeals to support GOSH. But please, if you can,  spare some small amount for the less well known but deserving Clic Sargent.

Thank you.the help