My best mate, Gareth Williams, has spent the best part of 46 years trying to get me on two wheels and for the last 20 odd years, to ride Route 66 with him from Chicago to Los Angeles!

Now that we are both effectively falling apart or variously disintegrating in one way or another and before we sink in to terminal decrepitude, we have decided to take the plunge and go for it and we've chosen an absolutely amazing cause to raise funds to support.

Gareth is only here because of the skill, dedication and care of the health service in Ireland for which I am eternally grateful and I wanted to do something to express my gratitude to them for all they have done to keep the old fella around for a few more years of welsh rugby based abuse

But riding Route 66 sounds like a holiday, not a challenge doesn't it?

That's what we thought, which is why we are both paying all the costs, including meeting the fundraising target for the trip out of our own pockets but neither of us want to leave it at that.

The Children's Health Foundation supports Children's Hospitals and urgent care centres across Ireland and we are asking all our friends and family to support us by supporting their work.

What do CHF do?

Well, they have recently donated a total of €6.7m across CHI hospitals and urgent care centres and the National Children’s Research Centre (NCRC).

This has allowed investment in many areas, including 25 new cardiac monitors, a new Fluoroscopic C-Arm for the Radiology Department in Temple Street, and the development of a new exercise testing area for patients with Cystic Fibrosis, a horrid, life limiting disease.

They have invested in the Giggle Fund (fantastic name!), and in play supports and multi-site projects that include an acute rehabilitation pathway, a patient transport pilot project, and the provision of additional equipment to CHI’s Occupational Therapy team - supporting children and families across all clinical areas, both during their in-patient rehab journeys and their safe discharge home.

Everything they do is child centred and every child matters. They can't control the hand that they were dealt, but you can help dictate how that hand plays out.

Please be generous with your support, let's make a difference together!

Please give whatever you can using the 'Donate' button or contact me to discuss other channels by which you can make a more generous donation.

The more people that know about Children's Health Foundation, the greater their impact, so please also spread the word by sharing my page with your friends and family.

Thank you in advance for your generosity, it means a lot to me but more to the Foundation and all the children they help!