This year, I am participating in London to Brighton to raise money for Muscular Dystrophy UK with a target of £300!

For this challenge, I have my mother-in-law joining me on the way to Brighton! She has never cycled this distance before and is pushing herself to raise money for a charity close to our hearts.

We both have a personal attachment to this years ride. Erin, my fiancée and Bridget's daughter, was diagnosed with a form of Muscular Dystrophy called Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Type 2A, which is a rare neuromuscular condition where the weakness and wasting of muscle is lost in the hip, thighs and shoulder muscles. The effect of this condition is that she is unable to run, suffers from frequent falls and has difficulty climbing stairs and rising from the floor or a chair. As the condition is slow progressive, it means at some point she will eventually require wheelchair assistance. At the moment there are no specific treatments for her condition.

Erin’s condition affects her dramatically in everyday life, especially in the smallest of tasks that she performs day to day. Walking, carrying items and putting clothes on are just some of the daily struggles that she encounters. She doesn’t let her condition get the better of her in any way shape or form. Her resilience is something we can all learn from and apply to our lives.

We also want to raise awareness in that not all disabilities are visible and people of todays world need to realise this.

Muscular Dystrophy is the charity bringing individuals, families and professionals together to beat muscle-wasting conditions. It was founded in 1959 and since then has been leading the fight against muscle-wasting conditions. There are over 60 rare and very rare progressive muscle-weakening and wasting conditions which affect around 110,000 children and adults in the UK. The charity supports high quality research to find effective treatments and cures and will not stop until they have found one for every single type which gives people like me a hope that one day in the future a cure will be found! Muscular Dystrophy UK is the charity for 110,000 people living with muscle-wasting conditions. They are making a difference today, providing vital information and support to help people live as independently as possible. They are making a difference for tomorrow, accelerating progress in research and driving the campaign for access to emerging treatments.

Muscles.

We use them to move.

Walk, eat, smile, cry.

Pump blood around our bodies.

To breathe in and out.

Our muscles matter.

All donations and support are greatly appreciated. Thank you!