Hi - I know that many people have given sponsorships for my activities, which I am truly grateful for, I do try to do something each year, so this year I’m riding from Sheerness (Kent) to Burnham-on-Sea (Somerset) https://www.chasethesun.org/.

The ride starts at sunrise ~04:40 heading virtually East to West for 205 miles ending ride before the sunsets at ~21:30. I am joining a small group of four cyclists we are all doing the ride for their own reasons. I’m doing the ride now anyway so I felt that I would be wrong to not support my favourite deserving cause: www.dyscover.org.uk

3 years ago I had a stroke that affected my communication, this is called Aphasia. For many of us with aphasia, life became trickier as our ability to speak and write effortlessly have gone; we ask people to repeat what they said as we simply cannot get it when they speak fast and about complex things. We need to read and re-read texts/e-mails/letters to make sure we know what it's about...Family, friends, work colleagues are all asked to adjust their communication so we can be involved in life more, for some this is hard. But when they do, when you do, trust me, it really helps and makes us feel loved and valued again. Having Aphasia affects every aspect of our lives. We make communications mistakes in all kinds of ways and we mean to say sorry, if we don’t then sorry.

Aphasia affects relationships, affects our ability to carry on
working as we did prior to this unplanned stroke. I get annoyed, as I used tobe able to do things, like typing these few paragraphs really easily, now Ineeded to ask for some help. Many others have aphasia as a result of a stroke -about 300 000 people in the UK.

We are all very determined, I'm one of them.  Many people who had a stroke also have their physical difficulties, some walk with a limp and have reduced use of an arm, some are permanently in wheelchairs. Luckily for me, my physical abilities have not been affected and since my stroke, I've been challenging myself, completing many cycling and other sports challenges, trying to spread the word about aphasia. 

So please big up all the people with aphasia! 

Dyscover has helped me, it is a great charity, supporting people
like me, who had a stroke and have aphasia. We have become one family, encouraging each other to get through life with smile on our faces. It's a place where people truly understand each other. There are many groups during the week and all are led by a Speech and language therapist. Please look up our website for more information www.dyscover.org.uk. 

At this week before it looks like a warm weekend.. Saturday 23rd June is the day when we ‘Chase the Sun'.. may the wind be behind me (remember from East to West) and my other crazy cyclists! :-)