This may be turning out to be the longest event I have ever trained for!  After Covid and 2 cancelled events, The Fairies and I are getting ready to cycle from Split to Dubrovnik in September 2022.  This charity means a great deal to us, especially as one of our very own fairies has fought her own cancer battle with pure grit, determination and dignity.  She has been an example and an inspiration to all of us.  

Woman's cancers are affecting too many lives of woman at young ages.  My hope is that the money I raise will go towards improving response times and treatments in the long run, perhaps saving other precious lives.

Many, many months back, whilst one of my dearest childhood friends was battling woman's cancer, I needed to do something - for her and for me - the only complication - I now live thousands of km's away from her.... 

I was not able to hold her hand or support her family and friends, but I could try to raise some money to go towards research for a disease that tears so many wonderful woman and families apart and if it means it may help protect her daughter, or any of our daughters in the future, I'm in!

I had done a Woman V Cancer event before, cycling 100km around the streets of London overnight.  I approached a couple of friends, asked if they would be interested in joining me on a cycling challenge and to my utter surprise, they barely skipped a beat and agreed to give it a go.  Fast forward to today and we are a team of 7 International woman living in a small city in The Netherlands, wanting to succeed at this mammoth task.  We have spent hours and hours and hours cycling, in fact, my bike quickly became my Covid sanity.  We each have our own reasons for choosing this charity event.....

My reason for doing this, started with my Hayley.  How does one describe a woman who was, damn near perfect in every way?  She was a stunningly beautiful woman to look at, with a heart of pure gold.  She was a faithful friend, a doting daughter and sister, a committed wife and a truly loving mum.  She was one of my closest friends in my early teenage years.  Those years which can feel a little daunting and even a little dark, but with Hayley's love, loyalty, honesty and witty sense of humour - I was completely blessed with an amazing friend. Her family felt like my family and some of my favourite memories was taking her on holiday (with my own extended family) to a remote cottage on the Transkei Wildcoast in South Africa, for 2 weeks - it was bliss and every single one of those moments, I will hold particularly dear to me.  

Cancer took a hold of this wonderful woman in a very aggressive manner.  She fought so hard, she never gave up for a moment....how could she, her daughter was still so young, there were still too many life memories to be made.  In March 2020, she was taken from us and given her Angel wings.  My heart broke, I had never planned this event in her memory.  I needed to tell her about it and tell her why I was doing it but I never got the chance.  Now, I will hold my head up high and I will do this for Hayley and for every other woman, who valiantly fights breast, cervical and ovarian cancer.  I will also do it for my Mum, who is a brave survivor, for which I am eternally grateful.  My hope is that the money that we raise will go to the good of fighting this dreadful disease in the future, to protect Hayley's daughter and all of our girls.