Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page and hopefully donating :-)

I'm cycling the Manchester 100 on 1st September and am following it up on the 8th September with a half marathon.  As this is the day after my birthday and for most of you who know me, I think staying sober 2 weekends in a row deserves a donation in itself :-)  So whether you think the 100 miles, the 13 miles or the lack of booze is the most worthy challenge, please give generously.   I am raising funds for Joining Jack  www.joiningjack.co.uk

Joining Jack was founded in 2011 to raise funds for research into a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.  The charity was founded by former Wigan RL player Andy Johnson following the news his son, Jack has the disease.

As most of you know Rugby League is a sport I follow closely and Joining Jack is a charity close to the hearts of the RL community.  500 riders will be Joining Jack on the day all raising funds for this great charity. 

DMD is one of the most common fatal genetic disorders to affect children around the world. Approximately one in every 3,500 boys worldwide is afflicted with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy with 20,000 new cases reported each year in the developed world.

It is a devastating and currently incurable muscle-wasting disease associated with specific inborn errors in the gene that codes for dystrophin, a protein that plays a key structural role in muscle fibre function. Symptoms usually appear in male children before the age of five. Progressive muscle weakness of the legs and pelvis eventually spreads to the arms, neck, and other areas. By age 10, braces may be required for walking, and most patients are confined to a wheelchair by age 12.

Eventually, this progresses to complete paralysis and increasing difficulty in breathing, requiring ventilation.

The condition is terminal and death usually occurs before the age of 30.

I am sure you will agree research into a cure for this terminal illness is a must and hope you can spare some pennies for my challenge.