Please, please read, I will be so grateful!

UPDATE AUGUST 2021 - This was originally for August 2020, however due to covid the event got carried forward one year. At the end of July 2021 I lost my farther.

August 2020 - I’m Steve, my dad has severe dementia and is in a specialist care home in North Wales, UK. He is just one of the many others who suffer dementia all around the world. He probably has no idea I’m doing this or who I am anymore, but I want to try and help him, others in similar condition and the future of dementia research.

Back in 2018 when his condition worsened I entered a 24hour off road motorcycle endurance race that was held in South Wales called Dawn to Dusk. It was the most memorable race of my life, I finished third in my class (24h marathon club man) out of over 500 riders who competed that weekend. The guy who came first (Steve Ireland) was racing for his friend, another Steve... who had been involved in an accident and he managed to raise over £8000. watch the video of that specific race with this link.

https://youtu.be/IngX6f7wQcQ

Mr Ireland kept saying throughout the race that “I’m doing this for my good friend” and after gathering my thoughts, it’s what got me to my third place, I kept saying while thinking of my dad “now’s the time to ride, there’s plenty of time to rest later”.

Well, I’ve entered again (last years 2020 was cancelled with entries carried forward to 2021) and it’s happening this August bank holiday, engines will start at 19:00 on the Saturday for 24 hours of blisters, no sleep, aches, pains, and nothing but pure grit and determination to ride ( as "now is the time") and to finish the race.

At the beginning of August 2020, someone asked a question in a group on Facebook, quite a powerful question. “what are you going to achieve this month?” I instantly thought “I don’t know” I knew I was racing at the end of the month but that alone isn’t an achievement, the question or how I saw the question later was “what AMAZING ACHIEVEMENT are you going to achieve this month?” then while out late training on my push bike getting ready I thought let’s do something I feel my dad could be amazingly proud of if he knew. I said with conviction that I’m going to raise a huge amount of money imaginable! Then I thought the guys who believe in achievements and success are all there in this Facebook group, they are the most influential guys who have beliefs, the power, the courage, the ability and the love needed to help me and everyone out there suffering from dementia! They love to help. By helping is how we all develop and how we grow. I adopted their mentality and now with hope this can be the start of something amazing. Come on, help me, help others and dementia!

And that is the reason I am here; I want your help to be able to help others and the research into dementia. Your donation can be the help that one day through research, prove valuable and in return help you, me and many others stay clear of the suffering dementia causes and to live a fuller and more compelling life, which we all deserve!

As a gesture and to show gratitude for your help, I will print out your name, and have it displayed in my racing tent at the event... which will hopefully encourage more donations. And most importantly encourage me to keep on going throughout the race, it will be tough, and I will know - “Now’s the time to ride” 😊. In doing so raising the awareness of dementia with every lap completed.

Please help! Please share! Here is the link to my page…

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/dementia2020

Steve Owen