In 2014 I rode with the Fireflies for the first time. 1000km over 7 days from Geneva to Cannes, climbing the equivalent of Everest 3 times. It was the hardest thing I have ever done, but it was also one of the most incredible, life affirming experience of my life. Riding with people who have lost friends and family, even those who’ve fought and beaten blood cancer was humbling.

This year I have decided to do it again, this time in memory of my second cousin Christopher Harper who lost his fight against leukaemia. Last time I rode Fireflies his uncle heard what I was doing and matched every donation made, in his honour. It was a wonderful, generous, and typically anonymous act that enabled me to contribute to the £1.7m The Fireflies have raised since 2001. I am also riding in memory of Mary Hodgetts and Jill Fone, mums of two dear friends who lost their brave battles recently. I will carry all their names on my bike to remind me that however painful it gets, I can always stop and get off... I won't.

I am funding this trip, so no money from your donations will pay for me to do something I ultimately love. Your money will go directly into the hands of the people who can save lives. 

Every penny we raise goes to funding specific and pioneering research at Hammersmith Hospital in London via the charity Bloodwise who fund the search for cures and treatments for Leukaemia, Lymphoma, Myeloma and other, less known but equally rapacious blood disorders.

If youwould like to learn more about the Fireflies, visit our website at http://thefirefliestour.com

There is a short film to view at http://youtu.be/TjoGgtmNA_A

Please be generous. If you think hard enough you’ll know someone affected by blood cancer, so do it for them. Finally the best way to help those fighting blood cancer now is to become a donor. Visit https://www.deletebloodcancer.org.uk/en and request a swab kit. You could literally save someone’s life.

Thank you all

Ed