Supporting those who support us
Charles Gilbank
My Story
On Saturday 16 May 2020 I fell off my bike. I was returning from a 100 mile round trip, in the last mile I headed up hill and crashed, breaking three ribs, collarbone and puncturing my lung. Unlucky? Surprisingly no! After scans in hospital they ascertained the extent of my injuries but also highlighted an issue with my kidney. 5 days later I was told that I had kidney cancer and they wanted to remove it. I locked the information away and focused on getting fit.
Monday 1st of June 2020 I remounted my indoor bike and rode 5km. It was a start.
On the 6thAugust 2020 the brilliant people at Addenbrookes took me through keyhole surgery and removed the cancerous kidney. I locked the experience away and began my recovery once more. Remounting my indoor bike on the 16th August 2020. Feeling strangely blessed to have fallen off my bike.
19th June 2021 I did a 200 mile ride with my best mate Thomas. Proving to myself my physical strength. I was physically improved but mentally I was struggling, I had reached the point where I knew I needed support. I had a very small group of people who knew what had happened and they were beyond amazing and supportive, but I needed something more. The hospital pointed me in the direction of Maggie’s at Cambridge. So over the past 4 years, on and off, they have offered me support without question. Through telephone and face-to-face support, their team have been kind, honest and supportive to the end and have helped me get through this difficult time.
I would now like to give back. The bike had given me luck, strength and purpose throughout, so I thought what can I do to help Maggie’s that involves the Bike? I felt like a 100 miles and hills resonated, so along with Thomas, we are going, in April, to ride 100 miles from Paris, across the cobbled roads of Northern France, to the Velodrome of Roubaix. Then in May we are going to the Lake District to do 112 miles at The Fred Whitton Challenge, with over 10,000 ft of climbing!
Anything you can give would be appreciated and please give Maggies and Birchwood Velo a follow and a like @maggiescentres @birchwoodvelo on X or find us on Instagram and Facebook.
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Target
£600
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Raised so far
£1,730
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Number of donors
60
My Story
On Saturday 16 May 2020 I fell off my bike. I was returning from a 100 mile round trip, in the last mile I headed up hill and crashed, breaking three ribs, collarbone and puncturing my lung. Unlucky? Surprisingly no! After scans in hospital they ascertained the extent of my injuries but also highlighted an issue with my kidney. 5 days later I was told that I had kidney cancer and they wanted to remove it. I locked the information away and focused on getting fit.
Monday 1st of June 2020 I remounted my indoor bike and rode 5km. It was a start.
On the 6thAugust 2020 the brilliant people at Addenbrookes took me through keyhole surgery and removed the cancerous kidney. I locked the experience away and began my recovery once more. Remounting my indoor bike on the 16th August 2020. Feeling strangely blessed to have fallen off my bike.
19th June 2021 I did a 200 mile ride with my best mate Thomas. Proving to myself my physical strength. I was physically improved but mentally I was struggling, I had reached the point where I knew I needed support. I had a very small group of people who knew what had happened and they were beyond amazing and supportive, but I needed something more. The hospital pointed me in the direction of Maggie’s at Cambridge. So over the past 4 years, on and off, they have offered me support without question. Through telephone and face-to-face support, their team have been kind, honest and supportive to the end and have helped me get through this difficult time.
I would now like to give back. The bike had given me luck, strength and purpose throughout, so I thought what can I do to help Maggie’s that involves the Bike? I felt like a 100 miles and hills resonated, so along with Thomas, we are going, in April, to ride 100 miles from Paris, across the cobbled roads of Northern France, to the Velodrome of Roubaix. Then in May we are going to the Lake District to do 112 miles at The Fred Whitton Challenge, with over 10,000 ft of climbing!
Anything you can give would be appreciated and please give Maggies and Birchwood Velo a follow and a like @maggiescentres @birchwoodvelo on X or find us on Instagram and Facebook.
