Bryony's Don't Die Bike Ride

In case anyone doesn't know me, my name is Bryony. I am 40 years old. I am married with 3 children. They are 12, 10, and 5. In 2020 I was thrust into Shielding by covid like a lot of people with serious health conditions. Unfortunately, on top of that I was also then diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer just after my 39th birthday. It's been a fun time.

This year I will pass the 2 year mark since being diagnosed. I am still here. This fantastic, but I am not cancer free. It has been a fight to make the progress I have made. And cancer free is a long way in the distance. If ever. In the spirit of this, I know I cannot wait to feel well to do things, and to have the effect on the world I live in I would like. Whilst my cancer itself has so far (ironically) not made me feel ill, my treatments have a massive impact on my life and what I am able to do. But I am not a woman to give up lightly. So screw it, let's see if I can't make something happen.

So here's what I am going to do. There are treatments available for my cancers that have funding rules applied by NICE, which dictates when the NHS can prescribe them. There are others only available privately. The specifics of this seem to vary around the country, but let me tell you, knowing that drugs that can save or extend your life (in the case of stage 4 extend means the same as save because we are all crossing everything we fucking have that the *perfect* drug is just about to be discovered) exist, but that you may be denied them because of money, is utterly devastating.

I wish I could leave it until I was in remission. I wish I could leave it until I was off treatment. But I have no guarantee either of those things will ever happen. Knowing that makes me feel helpless and out of control. And I am not good at being helpless and out of control.

I would love to do what I am about to do just for the benefit of others. But I can't. I have to be selfish. And I have to be selfish for my children and my husband. I am no good to them dead. Just quieter.

We have all seen probably a 1000 Gofundme's for cancer treatment. And yes.....this is one of those. I have to prepare for what may be coming. I am not able to go to my job. Some days I am not able to get out of my bed. Or off the couch. So I need to find a way to hussle here. But i am gonna try and give you more bang for your buck.

In return, I am going to ride from Land's End to John O Groat's. From my kitchen.

I have no idea how long this will take me. Some days I may be able to do lots. Many days I won't be able to do any at all. Some days I can't even go IN my kitchen without vomiting.

Finally a few points of order. Financially this is purely and solely about survival for me. I ain't out here trying to get rich. In the interests of transparency, any money raised will be held by a third party. It will be put to use only for the purposes of treatments, therapies etc that will help me to improve my health and survival. In the event that this becomes untenable, then (but only then) funds may contribute to funeral costs or providing my family with a significant memory of me in the future. Any unused funds will be donated to Bowel Cancer Uk earmarked for research into treatments for stage 4 cancer.