To all our U.K. readers, check out Stew. He is living healthy with his pouch and has a fundraiser bike marathon he is in, and he needs just a little bit more donation to reach his goal. It is all to make money for his charity: The IA Support Group.
Stew’s Bike Ride Fundraiser
Stew writes: “Thank you for visiting my fundraising page. Please dig deep and sponsor me online. The purpose of this ride is to a raise funds for this worthwhile cause buy mostly to raise awareness for this support group for those who have had this operation, because of either Bowel Cancer,Ulcerative Colitis or Chrones Disease .
The thought of riding for over 500km on a narrow bicycle saddle will not be lost on fellow “Pouchies”. I just want to illustrate that we are capable of normal activities post opperative, and give a little encouragement to those who may be feeling that the end of the world has come as they know it. At 59 yrs I am not an avid cyclist and only bought this bike second hand to complete this challenge,I shall be pulling a home made trailer of my own design containing my camping and catering supplies, anticipate the journey will take 5 to 6 days and I will try to update my progress enroute.
Training rides in the winter were very trying and the suport I received kept me going. I am told the tax break in gift aid changed at the end of March so don’t put off what you can do today. Thanks to all those supporting me so far. Don’t wait till the final day to donate it’s much more encouraging seeing what I am aiming for than hope it will come in after the event . A penny a kilometer is arount £5.00 and the tax man will add around 125p.
A special thankyou to Wendy who runs my local Folk Dance club who donated the proceedes from her raffle to the fund £81 raised – brilliant.
A trial run up tp to Adeburgh around 55 miles and back the following day over last Bank Holiday went well and thanks go to friend Dave who kept me company for most of the way. Donations to me personally have escallated in the final few days before the off and many more have placed pledges – not included in the totals quoted on these pages, so the final totals will I am sure fare exceed my expectations, A big thanks to everyone for their support.
It’s done – 349.2 miles at an average speed of 8.3 mph
Started Saturday 7th june at around 6.00am outside Aldeborough Newsagents who kindly took my photo as proof. Saturday became one of the wettest and miserable days I can remember, finishing some 65 miles later about 20 miles short of my target. Wet through and cold I spent a difficult night under canvas, and after repacking all my gear to separate the wet from the dry I set off late. Covering around 55mile again well short of my target miles. I realised that towing the trailer I would not be able to catch up my schedule, so all nessecities were packed onto the bike and the trailer was left behind near Stamford . Two good but hard days followed and I resorted to B&Bs and for the final day I abandoned all but essentials for the final push. Completed on Thursday 5.00pm ish I was reunited with my wife, leaving the symbolic entrance into Aberdaron till the Friday morning for pictures etc.
On the way I got Post Offices to verify my bike trip computer and stamp a sheet with the date and Post Code to verify that I had indeed carried out the journey. My friends at Cathedral Squares Square Dance Club have come up trumps Boosting my sponsorship by £126.00
Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: IA will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 25% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.
So please sponsor me now!
Many thanks for your support.”
There are many questions about what “type” of surgery Mark had. We will try to explain below, however, there are many options and many reasons for those options.
