Soop Dogg Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Ok folks, I don't really like asking you for sponsorship, but this is a big one for me. Almost exactly 2 years ago, my mum died from Motor Neurone Disease. This is an incurable illness of the central nervous system - basically your brain sends instructions as electrical impulses along nerve cells called motor neurones to muscles that control voluntary movement, such as walking and swallowing. MND is a disease that gradually destroys these nerve cells and this leads to weakness and wasting of your muscles. Generally it doesn't affect your mental ability, so although you can still be as sharp as a pin in your mind, you're trapped in a body that's slowing down and wasting away before your eyes and there's nothing you can do about it. It's hard enough to watch someone you love go through this kind of a death, but that must be nothing in comparison to going through it yourself. Despite modern medical science, there's no cure, and there is still relatively little known about the disease. So this July, I'm cycling from my house in Norwich to where my mum lived in Northern Ireland. I'm going via Stranraer in Scotland. I'll be doing the trip to Stranraer (about 425 miles) in 4 days. On day 5, I'll get the ferry across to N. Ireland and ride the 40-odd miles to Newtownards - my parent's home town and the place where I grew up. My wife will meet me every 30 to 50 miles or so as back-up, but I'm doing the cycling alone. I'm paying all my own costs for food, accommodation, fuel for the back-up car, bike (bought one for the purpose earlier this year), spares & equipment, so none of the money raised will go anywhere else but direct to the charity. (The Motor Neurone Disease Association) I've got a 'Just giving' page HERE, so if you can spare a quid or two, I'd really appreciate it. I'll also be putting my own website together for the ride and it will hopefully include a map that updates every minute, showing you where I am & what speed I'm doing during the ride. I know how good the Supra community is, so thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Excellent stuff. Good luck with the ride. Will put some money in when I get home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwilkinson Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 I'll sponsor you mate. My father died from MND in 1994 when I was 14 years old. It killed him in one year. It was debilitating and awful to watch. He went from being a totally active individual to a skeleton in a chair being fed by a machine. As you said the frustration was a lack of awareness in the medical community and funding for research. I wish you all the luck in the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abz Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Wow Brian, I respect you a lot for what you are doing. Donated! Hope you reach your target! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soop Dogg Posted March 26, 2011 Author Share Posted March 26, 2011 Sorry for not getting back here earlier today, just got in. Sorry to hear about your Dad, Matt. My mum lasted about 18 months from diagnosis, but it had already taken the best part of a year before they decided what the problem was. In the end, the last 3 months were when it went from being at a point where she could get around and live her life to when she slipped away from us. Because I live in England and my family are in N. Ireland, I was only there some of the time. I couldn't believe how fast she deteriorated in the end. And yet some people last for years. (Stephen Hawking, for example - I think he was diagnosed in the mid 70's!) Thanks so much for your help guys. Much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil-NA Posted March 26, 2011 Share Posted March 26, 2011 I will sponsor you mate, if you need any other bike equipment then let me know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soop Dogg Posted March 26, 2011 Author Share Posted March 26, 2011 Thanks, Neil. Can you pm me details of your business as I'm always ordering stuff! Cheers, mate. Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soop Dogg Posted April 24, 2011 Author Share Posted April 24, 2011 Right - quick update. Just finished 300 miles in 3 consecutive days. (Thursday to Saturday) Thought I'd better build this into my training to make sure I can keep getting up and getting out on the bike for 100 miles, despite being knackered from having done it the day before. Felt pretty wrecked last night TBH, but not too bad today. (ridden nearly 900 miles in the past month) Just as well Angie does massage for a living! Her work on my legs and shoulders every evening has helped massively - would have had problems doing this mileage without her help. Will still do the occasional 100 mile ride between now and July when I ride the 425 miles to Stranraer in 4 days which is still going to be tough. Need to get out today for about 15 to 20 miles just to keep the legs loose, but generally rest up for a day or two. Thanks to everyone who has donated so far. If you are able, and feel like donating a few quid, it'd be very much appreciated. With the news we had on a possible fix for Alzheimers this week, it really shows what good research can do, but it all costs money. Even if it's just a quid or two, it all helps. Link to my JustGiving page is in my sig. Thanks in advance! Oh, yeah - is what I've done to my car wrong?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soop Dogg Posted July 14, 2011 Author Share Posted July 14, 2011 Day 1 complete. 122 miles from Norwich to about 10 miles north of Lincoln. Went pretty well - legs hurt but not too seriously! 109 miles tomorrow to Leyburn in the Yorkshire Dales...... Oh - I've put a website together where you can follow my progress LIVE. I have an app on my phone that updates my position every couple of minutes and shows my speed, altitude & heading. visit www.CyclingForMND.com Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwilkinson Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Keep up the Good work Brian. This is very good cause which is often overlooked for the bigger charities like cancer research. The work done by this charity links in with a number of other more publicised illnesses such as Parkinsons. In fact initially this is what my father was diagnosed with. Only four more days to go ;-) Keep us posted and best of luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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