Here we go...Ride London, Beating Bowel Cancer and a MAMIL

I'm in.  Despite being 51 years old, overweight (dead on 14 stone) and possibly the very definition of a MAMIL (middle aged man in lycra) I have signed up to do Ride London for "my" wonderful charity Beating Bowel Cancer on 10th August this year.  Yes, that's 100 miles on a bike!

My reason for putting myself through months of unaccustomed exercise and a very sore bottom is simple - I was inspired by the 2013 team and one individual in particular.  On 4th August last year I had the pleasure of welcoming our Beating Bowel Cancer Ride team to the post event reception.  The team, led by our excellent Patron Matt Dawson, were outstanding and raised an amazing £117,000.  The buzz at the reception was clear and everyone I spoke to beat their expected time and said it was the best event they had taken part in it.  Some - including Matt - looked at me and said "You next year?".  But it was when I spoke to team member Christian, who has advanced bowel cancer and had a tumour removed from each lung in the months previously, that I realised I had to sign up.  Simply put, I thought "He did it I should too".

But there is another set of people who have inspired me.  Very sadly, bitterly, these people are no longer with us - bowel cancer took them.  People like the two Alisons.  Each were in their early 60's when they died and each had moved from receiving support from our charity to being individuals who supported us in so many ways.  One Alison was tireless in supporting others, providing encouragement and telling her own story as a way of sharing other's pain.  The other Alison faced her cancer for 10 years and was inspired to produce poetry that relayed the reality of what she faced.  I am also motivated to do this ride by Tony, who beat every deadline given him by the doctors and, when he left us in January at aged 51, did so with humour and grace, teaching me that people can be remarkable in the face of the awful.  And Hannah, who we lost just 20 days after her 30th birthday, reminds me that bowel cancer is no respecter of age and the very young.  I could go on - Hazel, Jane, Katie, Stewart, Sheila and many more, too many, whom we have lost in the last year alone.  They all remind us why we need to go on providing support, raising awareness, making sure the care and treatment is the best available wherever people live.

So, this blog will remember them, will help explain what we at Beating Bowel Cancer do to support people like them and the steps we are taking to beat the UK's second biggest cancer killer.  And this blog will also take you through my own journey from overweight MAMIL to svelte cyclist who can easily ride 100 miles to raise money for Beating Bowel Cancer.  Watch this space.

If you need help and information about bowel cancer please go to www.beatingbowelcancer.org