Entering the Ride to Conquer Cancer for 2015

After much thought and discussion with my family, I've decided to register for the ride again.

Last year was a tough year. After diagnosis in September 2013, my mother died in July 2014 from an aggressive form of brain cancer. Our family dog of 9 years contracted pancreatic cancer and I had to take him to the vet to be put down just weeks before my mother died. Just before the 2014 ride, one of my closest friends in Australia was diagnosed with prostrate cancer and had to undergo an operation that thankfully has cleared the cancer.

After talking with my family and my father, I've realised that the reasons that led me to ride in the first place are still there. Cancer research is making very promising discoveries including brilliant work by the people at Peter Mac. Funding is limited and subject to competitive grant applications making it difficult to sustain lines of research and keep talented teams together.

The ride to conquer cancer is the largest single injection of independent funding to the Peter Mac in the year. Without the injection of these funds, they cannot remain the pre-eminent cancer research hospital in Australia.

I'll need to raise more than $2,500 in donations before I earn the right to ride.

The ride is on the weekend of 24-25 October 2015. Along the way I'll try and write a piece at least once a month. I'll use the charity's email system to send this out to the email addresses that I have, and I'll save each one to this blog. People who receive the email can opt-out if they choose.

I hope I can provide something of interest for you along the way, and I hope you can help me reach my objective.