22 Years ago when Zoe my niece was in the prime of her life, finishing her ‘A’ levels as a star student and looking forward to university and the rest of her life she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, within 3 years she was very seriously ill.  With the intervention of medical experts, newly discovered wonder drugs and the love and care of her family, Zoe made a partial, but miraculous recovery from the very worst symptoms of her illness.  She now lives her life despite her condition and like most MS sufferers she has good and bad days, she makes the most of the cards she has been dealt.

Although Zoe does not benefit directly from the Multiple Sclerosis Trust she has always been a keen supporter.

The MS Trust offer help and assistance to sufferers by publishing help guides and website information, taking away some of the fears and offering practical assistance to those patients when they are first diagnosed.  They also support the training and placement of specialist nurses who deal only with MS patients and so gain expert level experience beyond that of family GP’s who only occasionally have contact with MS sufferers. They also finance research projects in three key areas Services, Treatments and Medication.

In 2007 as part of a general get fit campaign I started cycling, I had lost weight and was getting fitter so Zoe and her dad suggested I complete the MS Trust charity bike ride from London to Paris. On the ride I met some great people, those with MS who were giving something back whilst they were still able, their families and friends some of who had been deeply affected – typically a lady from Lincolnshire whose husband and three sons were all keen cyclists, her youngest son was very seriously ill with MS, I don’t cry often but she made me cry! There were also MS professionals, nurses and charity supporters who could see the real life benefits of fund raising.

In 2008 I rode the bike but the difficult bit is raising the sponsorship, with Zoe’s help we did manage a respectable £4400. 

Nik asked at Shredall and SDS if anyone want to join him and I thought it would be fun to go as part of a group however - the group is fairly small – 2.  Unlike Nik I am not young or fit and after a winter of inactivity and no cycling for some time I have two mountains to climb, one is to get in shape in 10 weeks and two is to complete the ride. 

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