On 6th July I'll be riding La Marmotte cycle sportive in the Alps, one of the toughest events of its kind http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Marmotte

I am raising money for Abbie's Army, a charity seeking to raise money for a particulary deadly form of cancer.

Please donate whatever you can to support this charity - it really needs your help.

I chose to raise money for Abbie's Army after attending a fundraising event run by the mother of a little girl called Elsie who went to my children's primary school.  

Elsie was diagnosed with a Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) brain tumour shortly after her 6th birthday, and very sadly she did not live to see her 7th birthday as she passed away just nine months after diagnosis.  There is a photo of Elsie below.

Every charity is worthwhile, but I was so moved after hearing Elsie's story that I wanted to do anything I could to help.

A diagnosis of DIPG is one of the most devastating diagnoses a family can receive as there is no cure, the tumour is inoperable, there is no effective chemotherapy and the prognosis is 9-12months.  

Funds are desperately needed for research into this deadly condition which only affects children between the ages of 3-10 years old.  This disease is quite rare, with 40 children diagnosed with DIPG in the UK every year - that's one family every 9 days.  DIPG prognosis has not improved in thirty years, but has now reached a tipping point with some promising new trials taking place much funded by bereaved parents, their friends and family.  Please help Abbie's Army fund vital research into DIPG.

The charity Abbie's Army was started by the mother of Abbie, who died from the same condition as Elsie and who was also treated at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton.  Abbie's Army is committed to funding research specifically for DIPG.

 Elsie's mother, Anita, together with Abbie's mother and the mother of another girl, Grace, who also died from the same condition have also been raising money for DIPG by undertaking a gruelling 24 hour journey across the Lake District over 71 kilometres in May 2013.  Their target is to raise £100,000.  Please watch their four minute film on YouTube that tells you more about the three girls Elsie, Abbie and Grace, DIPG and their challenge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCmb3JmRbOE

 The money raised from my bike ride will go to Abbie's Army and will contribute to their £100,000 target.  Their campaign was launched in January and as of mid-June they have raised £83,500 - 83% of their target.