Why I'm raising money for Macmillan

My dad, Tony Thompson, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in November 2013. He quickly became very sick and spent most of the rest of his life in hospital. During his time in hospital at Coventry and Bromsgrove, the information, support and general help that we received from Macmillan made a real difference.

Dad died peacefully on the morning of 10 February. We miss him.

About my challenge

We cycled everywhere when I was young. My dad built my bikes and taught me to look after them. Cycling was part of his identity, of mine and of the whole family. He loved the Tour de France and was looking forward to watching the Yorkshire stage this year.

I couldn't think of a more appropriate way to remember him and to raise money for Macmillan than to challenge myself to a long bike ride. That's why I've entered the Ride London 100, a tough ride that roughly follows the route of the 2012 Olympic road race.

About Macmillan

One in three of us will get cancer and it’s the toughest thing most of us will ever face. If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, or a loved one has, you’ll want a team of people in your corner supporting you every step of the way. That's what Macmillan does.