Cycling for Freddie Lands' End-John O'Groats

[p]Cycling in memory of Freddie Carpenter, the best one ever![/p][p]In March 2017, my youngest nephew Arthur was diagnosed with a brain tumour at the age of 15 months old. Arthur was immediately admitted to Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) to have the tumour removed and begin chemotherapy. The prognosis was good, and the doctors gave him an 80-90% chance of making a full recovery. Today he is in remission and he is your typical 3 year old. Long may this continue.[/p][p]Around 3 months after Arthur’s diagnosis, his older brother Freddie started showing signs that something wasn’t right. The doctors initially thought it was an ear infection, but devastatingly, in July 2017, Freddie was also diagnosed with a cancer of the brain, Rhabdomyosarcoma, altogether more significant. This soft tissue cancer had grown in Freddie’s face, head and neck and the prognosis was not so good, the doctors giving him a 40-50% chance. I cannot put into words how crushing this news was. To have the “C” bomb dropped on our family’s little ones twice in such a short space of time was simply dreadful.[/p][p]The chemotherapy schedule was relentless, the boys were constantly in and out of Great Ormond Street Hospital on alternate or simultaneous weeks for treatment, for many months. For Freddie, he required treatment that was not then available in the UK, so the NHS sent Freddie over to the US for specialist Proton Beam Therapy treatment. He underwent a 10-week program, and returned to the UK just in time for Christmas. The initial signs were promising, and progress was felt to have been made. That was up until April when an MRI scan revealed a secondary brain tumour, this one very aggressive and further reducing his chance of survival. He had most of this removed with surgery, but it later returned leaving no more options for GOSH other than to plan for end-of-life care. Freddie passed away at home in October last year, aged just 5 years old.[/p][p]Our family has been devastated by these events, and being unable to do much apart from offer support and help where possible has prompted me to get out there and do something worthwhile. A charity called [url=https://www.alicesarc.org/]Alice’s Arc[/url] was set up by the parents of another child suffering with Rhabdomyosarcoma, their target is to reach of £500,000 over 3 years. The fundraising is dedicated to the research and treatment of Rhabdomyosarcoma, so we can better understand and treat this dreadful cancer that affects and devastates young families.[/p][p]I have decided to raise money for Alice’s Arc by cycling the length of Great Britain, starting at Lands’ End in Cornwall, and finishing around 10 days and 950 miles later in John O’Groats. I will be doing this solo and unsupported, and hope to average around 95 miles per day continuously over 10 days. My aim is to raise £10,000. All the money raised for and by Alice's Arc goes directly to the research and treatment.[/p][p]Freddie’s parents Martin and Natalie, have been amazingly courageous throughout this ordeal, and during the whole process they wrote regular updates through a blog. It was aimed at keeping everyone up to date with the situation, but also kept light hearted and looking at the positives as much as possible. If you would like to read this, please click [url=https://puddingandpieweb.wordpress.com/2017/04/06/first-blog-post/]here[/url]. It helps to put perspective on our own lives.[/p][p]Thank you for sponsoring me on my journey, and please spread the message so we can raise lots of money for a great cause![/p][p]Much love, happiness and respect,[/p][p][br][/p][p] Shane[/p]