Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

In July I'm riding my bike from London to Paris (Marble Arch to Arc de Triomphe) which is roughly 300 miles in three days, and in August I'm riding 100 miles in one day in and around London.

Why, and why should you donate?

On the 3rd of July last year my partner of 21 years, my best friend, my soul mate and literally 'other half', Sonia, passed away. She was only 43, and if you met her, you'd think she was half her age, not just because of her amazing ability to not age, but also because of her energy and vibrancy. I met Sonia when I was still a teenager, and so she has been there, every day for my entire adult life. Well, until last July! 

Sonia was always very healthy and had never been ill for her entire life, and then one day she started to feel tired when we were on holiday and struggled to walk up hills, and could not shake her fatigue. It got worse and so when we returned she went to see her doctor, who initially just said rest for a few days, take some paracetamol and see how you get on! Sonia rested, but she just felt worse and couldnt get out of bed, and we went back to the doctor, and to A&E, and they couldnt really understand what was wrong with her. After a final visit to the doctor where we insisted on blood tests and more investigation, Sonia was sent to an acute medical unit for tests. That night, November 16th 2012, a doctor diagnosed Sonia with Leukaemia. This process from getting tired to being diagnosed only took about 4 weeks. We knew all about Leukaemia because only one year before, almost to the day, Sonia's mum had lost her battle with Leukaemia after fighting for 14 months.

The next day, because the Leukaemia was very aggressive, Sonia started chemotherapy. Sonia went on to have three cycles of chemo, and needed a stem cell transplant for the best chance of survival. The Anthony Nolan Trust and the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust were there to help and support right from the start. They helped us organise awareness raising events and donor drives - because Sonia had a mixed heritage it's much harder to find a donor match, literally by multiples of a million! 

The Anthony Nolan Trust works to keep increasing the numbers of donors on the register in the UK, and the more donors there are, from all backgrounds, the more chance there is of someone finding a match. The Anthony Nolan Trust also talks to other countries who have registers to try and find matches for people from all over the world. They did, against all odds, find a match for Sonia in Taiwan, and arranged for the healthy donor's stem cells to be collected and transported to the UK to be transplanted into Sonia to try and rid her of her Leukaemia and save her life.

Unfortunately Sonia suffered complications after the transplant and sadly lost her fight, while I was holding her in my arms, surrounded by our closest family and friends. 

However, many people live normal, happy lives after a stem cell transplant, and can only do that if they find a donor match.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that blood cancers can strike anyone, at any time, and no matter how healthy the person is, or how old, or young, they are, it can happen to anyone.

I'm riding my bike this summer to raise money for a cause that not only helps people who suddenly find themselves in the most devastating situation imaginable, but that also actively tries to increase the numbers of donors on the register, which means that if your wife, husband, son, daughter, brother, sister, friend, mother or father was suddenly struck down, they would have the best chance of finding a donor match that could save their life.

I miss Sonia every day, but her vibrancy and positivity are always with me, and they are what drive me to keep going and want to do good things like this!

Thank you for reading, and hopefully donating. It is hugely appreciated.

Toby.

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