Cycling for Liza - 1000km

This is my best mate Jon, and his wonderful daughter Liza (my god-daughter), who is autistic. Around December last year, me and our friendship group of ex-English teachers, formed in the mid-2010s in Moscow, discovered that our close friend Jon Waldron, had sadly passed away from a pneumonia infection while living and working in The Republic of Georgia. He had been back and forth to the country over a period of years, to support his wife, Alla, and their daughter, Liza, using most of his income to support Liza's care and education.

The news of Jon's passing was a painful shock to all of us, and of course devastating for his wife, in Georgia, and his family in America, who were sooner to hear the news than we were. In the weeks and months that followed, after the initial challenges of getting Jon back home, his wife and family, particularly Jon's sister, Amy, in consultation with Alla, came to decide that the best course of action to support Liza, would be to expatriate Alla and Liza to America, to provide Liza with the best quality of care possible and to give them both the greatest opportunity lead a normal life.

Amy, to her immense credit, has already set up a Go Fund Me campaign which has almost reached its target of $18k. This is my attempt to get them over the target and hopefully a little more too if I can.

I'll be cycling for Liza, about 670 miles (1078km) over a period of 10 days, starting in the Netherlands and riding through 7 countries, over the Swiss Alps to Milan. I leave on 21st June and will be back in the UK by 3rd July.

This is not my first international cycling trip, but it will feature the tallest climb I've ever attempted (over 2k metres).

It's a fitting challenge to remind me of the immense challenge and long road ahead for Amy, Alla and Liza.

It will also be the first time I'll have the chance to cross so many countries - a nod to Jon's intrepid globe-trotting. Jon's travels and his stories, his ability to form friendships with all walks of life, his love of learning, knowledge and great gift of music were such an inspiration to all of us who knew him.

All money raised will be transfered to Amy who is supporting Alla's application to the USA, and will be supporting them both when they make it there.

I am very grateful for your support.

Jay