The hostels are booked, the car to Penzance reserved and we have tickets for the sleeper train home, and we start our journey in 3 weeks.

 
Both my riding friend Mike and I have long wanted to ride LeJog, (Lands End to John O’Groats) and this year, despite covid, it's happening. We leave LE on Monday 5th July and should get to JOG 17days later, with one day off on the 12th for my 60th birthday.

But why am I raising money for The Brain Tumour Charity? .....

 
6 years ago Emma, my 21 year old, eldest daughter, was diagnosed with a brain tumour the size of a golf ball, fortunately benign, but still pressing on vital arteries and parts of her brain stem. Surgery was the only option and after two separate major Ops of 14 and 8hrs Miss Gilkes, the Surgeon at Liverpool's Walton Centre, had successfully "debulked" the Schwanoma growing on Emma's trigeminal nerve. This was followed by a course of Radiotherapy to try and eliminate the remaining tumour. Just after the radiotherapy and a year out of her final year at Uni she returned and finished her degree successfully.

 
However, the surgery had caused some nerve damage leading to no feeling in the left hand side of her face and shooting pains across the cheek. This is where the Brain Tumour Charity stepped in, providing counselling and support, as Emma tried to come to terms with the operation and its after effects and the knowledge that the tumour might be still growing, all be it slowly. She is also having to come to terms with: the medication for the pain and its side effects; a dry eye that doesn't have tears to clean itself of dust or shampoo and so is prone the lens getting scratched and infected; mouth ulcers where she accidentally chews the inside of her cheek; and a general loss of independence and prospects together with the uncertainty of the annual MRI scan.

 
The Brain Tumour Charity put her in touch with other young adults in similar situations so they can support each other as peers and share their own thoughts, feelings and coping strategies. Emma has in turn been selected as a Young Ambassador for the charity and through training and experience has gained in confidence and shared her story both on the charity website and to a wider audience including speaking to the local WI.

Time to give something back, Team Emma rides again! This is what Emma, Rachel and I were christened by Miss Gilkes as we visited her clinics in the run up to the operations. We each had different ways and skills to support Emma, and each other and so it is now, I have the legs (hopefully); Rachel is happy for me to do the riding; and she and Emma will get motivating you and your friends to give forward your money so that The Brain Tumour Charity will be there and ready to support you and your loved ones if you get that life changing diagnosis.

PS  The target sum isn't random it's roughly £1 per mile of the journey

The Brain Tumour Charity is the world's leading brain tumour charity and the largest dedicated funder of research into brain tumours globally. Committed to saving and improving lives, we're moving further, faster to help every single person affected by a brain tumour. We're set on finding new treatments, offering the highest level of support and driving urgent change. And we're doing it right now. Because we understand that when you, or someone you love, is diagnosed with a brain tumour a cure really can't wait.