Thank you for being here. The fact that you’ve landed on this Just Giving page means you have an interest in helping others, particularly those in need of medical help in countries that don’t enjoy the facilities we take for granted every day.

So why am I here and why have I chosen Two Wheels for Life's international partner for Riders for Health to be the recipients of my fundraising?

I guess I should start at the beginning; it’s always a great place to start anything!

I have been mad about motorbikes since before I can remember. My love of motorbikes led me to a career in journalistic riding. I also brought the California Superbike School to the UK, Ireland, India, Norway, the Middle East. We had a successful business worldwide helping over 100,000 riders.

I was one of the top 3 journalistic riders in the UK. I started a racing career, then one day I crashed and broke my back. That put an instant stop to my racing career BUT it didn’t stop me from coaching riders, including big names in the superbikes world including the MotoGP World Champion Thomas Luthi, Sandro Cortese, Karel Abraham, Leon Camier and not forgetting, Valentino Rossi.

I was also honoured to be asked to coach Prince William, then Prince Harry and both of them together on bike skills.

In 2011 I discovered a tiny lump in my neck and after many visits to many specialists, it was deemed the lump was nothing to worry about and was small enough to remove in a minor operation. But that’s where the good news stops. I was put under full general anaesthetic as things were not as straightforward as the scans had shown.

The professor who was operating on me had an awful choice to make. Leave the lump and it would kill me eventually or remove it and risk me having a massive stroke, possibly killing me but could also save me. She chose to remove it. The lump had wrapped itself around one of the major veins leading to my brain. No scan would ever have picked this up. The lump and the vein had to be removed.

I had that massive stroke. I was left with only a 5% chance of survival.

I couldn’t walk, talk, eat, drink, dress myself. I couldn’t do anything AT ALL for myself.

After 6 months of intensive treatment and therapy I was allowed home. This was supposed to be good news but actually, I had lost all hope.

I had to rely on other people. I had to be helped to do just the basics in life.

It was embarrassing; it was frustrating; I was numb with it all

One minute I’m at the top of my game, the next minute I lost my business, I could no longer ride bikes, I couldn’t coach bike riders, I couldn’t continue my writing, I couldn’t do anything at all ……………I felt suicidal.

I’ve had to learn to do everything again but this time with only the use of one arm, partial use of one leg and full use of my other leg. I have, in effect, half a brain. I have Aphasia which affects my speech.

But I have to keep moving; I have to better myself; I will not give in or give up.

Over the past 9 years I have strived to achieve what some would call the impossible.

I have cycled from London to Paris on a tandem bike

I have taken part in the Marathon de Sables, the toughest on foot race on earth!

I have completed the Brighton Half Marathon twice

I have completed the Half Marathon De Sables in the Canary Islands

Which leads me to Everest and Riders for Health.

I do love a challenge and my next one is to complete the trek to Base Camp Everest in early May 2022.

Who are Riders for Health? You can find them at www.riders.org

They provide vital medical support in the Gambia, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi and Nigeria. This includes fleet management, medical supply chain logistics, outreach healthcare, sample transport, emergency health transport and medical training.

But all this takes money. I have just under 8 months to raise £10,000. Climbing a mountain is one thing, but raising this mountainous amount is another which is why I know you’ll give generously.

Your donation no matter how large or small, will save a life and what better feeling is that?