Introduction

In the summer of 2008 I will embark on a challenge of a lifetime. Starting in London I am going to attempt to cycle over 4000km across Europe finishing back in London 3 months later whilst raising €15,000 for charity.

My Motivation

In May 2006 my brother-in-law Steve (36), father to my niece Emily (8), my nephew George (10) and husband to my sister Clare for 14 years, was involved in a serious cycling accident whilst training for his own charity bike ride.

Steve suffered a compressed carotid artery on the left side of his neck resulting, in a stroke and serious brain damage. Steve was left with no speech or movement on the right hand side of his body. Fifteen months later his fight to get his life back goes on daily with intense speech and physiotherapy.

At the time of writing Steve’s speech is still very limited. However, due to huge determination, he was able to give back the wheelchair he was told he was likely to be confined to for life within a few months of his accident and although he can now walk slowly it is likely it will be several years before he will be independent again.

This is not a story purely about Steve; Steve’s accident highlighted the fact that although victims of strokes are generally perceived to be older, thousands of people under the age of 40 suffer strokes each year often resulting in limited movement and an inability to communicate or interact socially just as they enter the prime of their lives.

I will be raising money for charities specialising in the rehabilitation of victims helping them recover as much as possible to as normal life as possible.

I will be posting further details of the project as they develop.

Jon Bradshaw. August 2007