Phil Griffin
Phil and Sam's 10 countries in 10 days bike ride
Fundraising for The Fred Hollows Foundation UK
Story
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Thanks for taking the time to visit my 10 in 10 in 10 page. Starting in London at 10:10am on 10/10/10 Myself and my son Sam will be attempting to cycle through 10 countries in 10 days to raise money to save the eyesights of as many people as possible in countries where simple cataract operations are unaffordable to many people. We are raising money for the Fred Hollows Foundation. This charity can save the eyesight of a child for just £11. Its founder, the late Fred Hollows, revolutionised affordable cataract surgery in the developing world and was known for taking eye health to the people.
Why this charity? Cycling is one of the best ways to see things, and having done a fair amount of cycling in our time we have seen a lot. Our first big trip was back in 2000 when we cycled from John o'Groats to Lands End in aid of the RNIB. We saw more of the UK in 13 days than most people see in their lifetimes. In subsequent years we cycled over the Sierra Nevada (11,000ft) in Spain and then went on to conquer the Andes. I have also walked a lot too - the Pennine Way, the Coast to Coast and the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea. I've seen London the best way too - via the London Marathon. Due to our near perfect vision we have seen many many things, and we often think to ourselves how lucky we are to be ABLE to see. To be unable to see just for the want of an £11 operation is appaling, and so we want to restore as many eyesights as possible. Our bike ride also coincides with World Sight Day.
Some interesting statistics:
80% of blindness is avoidable. 90% of blind people live in developing countries and two thirds of those are women and girls. Nearly 50% of all cases of blindness worldwide are due to cataracts, and in Nepal up to 70% of blindness is caused by this debilitating yet avoidable disease. Cataracts can be removed for as little as £11, in a procedure lasting 20 minutes, making it one of the most cost-effective health interventions ever. The Fred Hollows Foundation pioneered the introduction of modern cataract surgery in developing countries and has now helped to restore sight to well over one million people.Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
So please dig deep and donate now.
LATEST: We are proud to announce that we arrived at the Italian border, via the Mustair Valley, high in the Alps, at 10.10pm on October 19th, completing the 10 countries in 9 days and 13 hours. Thank you for your donations, Phil & Sam
Thanks for taking the time to visit my 10 in 10 in 10 page. Starting in London at 10:10am on 10/10/10 Myself and my son Sam will be attempting to cycle through 10 countries in 10 days to raise money to save the eyesights of as many people as possible in countries where simple cataract operations are unaffordable to many people. We are raising money for the Fred Hollows Foundation. This charity can save the eyesight of a child for just £11. Its founder, the late Fred Hollows, revolutionised affordable cataract surgery in the developing world and was known for taking eye health to the people.
Why this charity? Cycling is one of the best ways to see things, and having done a fair amount of cycling in our time we have seen a lot. Our first big trip was back in 2000 when we cycled from John o'Groats to Lands End in aid of the RNIB. We saw more of the UK in 13 days than most people see in their lifetimes. In subsequent years we cycled over the Sierra Nevada (11,000ft) in Spain and then went on to conquer the Andes. I have also walked a lot too - the Pennine Way, the Coast to Coast and the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea. I've seen London the best way too - via the London Marathon. Due to our near perfect vision we have seen many many things, and we often think to ourselves how lucky we are to be ABLE to see. To be unable to see just for the want of an £11 operation is appaling, and so we want to restore as many eyesights as possible. Our bike ride also coincides with World Sight Day.
Some interesting statistics:
80% of blindness is avoidable. 90% of blind people live in developing countries and two thirds of those are women and girls. Nearly 50% of all cases of blindness worldwide are due to cataracts, and in Nepal up to 70% of blindness is caused by this debilitating yet avoidable disease. Cataracts can be removed for as little as £11, in a procedure lasting 20 minutes, making it one of the most cost-effective health interventions ever. The Fred Hollows Foundation pioneered the introduction of modern cataract surgery in developing countries and has now helped to restore sight to well over one million people.Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
So please dig deep and donate now.
LATEST: We are proud to announce that we arrived at the Italian border, via the Mustair Valley, high in the Alps, at 10.10pm on October 19th, completing the 10 countries in 9 days and 13 hours. Thank you for your donations, Phil & Sam