Raising Awareness

[KenC]

A few months ago my Son Mark decided that he was going to do the Coast to Coast Cycle ride (Whitehaven to Sunderland) as a way of saying thank you to our branch for all the help and support they have given us since my diagnosis, while at the same time raising money for the branch so that we could employ a support worker as we no longer have a branch manager.
I thought that this was a wonderful idea, but then he suggested that I should go along with him as a way of raising awareness to Dementia. I said that I would think about it, as I used to cycle through Oxford every day until this illness kicked in and then I started to become unstable, both on my legs and on the bicycle.
I had never cycled again since.
But I have now managed to get back on a bike again and over a day we managed to cover about 30 miles, although I confess that I was more than a little stiff the next day.
This ride covers around 140 miles and we now hope to start it on June 7th of this year while I can still do it. This will be a challenge to me as well as a test to my strength. I do wonder whether I am a little mad for even considering doing it, but I suppose if if I don't do it now I never will. Other's who have dementia do the marathon, so I suppose it is time to try to push the boundary's and see what happens.

I will never know unless I try to do it.

I will probably end up with a very sore back side and knee's, but that should only last a few days.

I will try to keep you in touch with how it is going.

Best Wishes

Ken

 

[Grannie G]

You never fail to amaze me Ken. You are wonderful. Well done even for thinking about it and Good Luck.

 

[TinaT]

What a marvelous thing to do! The very best of luck and I hope that you raise a good amount of money for your branch and get some local publicity which will help raise awareness.

I must say, having cycled a little bit of this route with my husband and children many years ago, you have certainly picked a most beautiful part of the country to do your ride in.

Enjoy the ride with your wonderful son.

xxTinaT

 

[Linda Mc]

Good luck Ken I know you can do it! I so admire you for all you are doing to help others. You are a star!

Lovely to see you yesterday at our forum thank you again for coming, hope you weren't too tired when you got home. Very pleased too to see Janice looking so well.

Linda x

 

[CYN]

good luck

Ken good luck with the ride and make sure that the media tv and the press are aware of your efforts you deserve to have the fame.

Cynthia x x

 

[Skye]

Well done, Ken, you are an inspiration. Do you have an online sponsorship form?

Love to you and Janice,

 

[connie]

Ken, you truely are an inspiration to us all. Do hope all goes well for you on the ride.

What a star Mark is too, wanting to help in this positive way and encouraging you into the bargain. Janice must be so proud.

Hazel asked the question

Do you have an online sponsorship form?

Would feel priviledged if we (Lionel & I) could help in any way, even if it is only with our "pennies"

 

[KenC]

Thank you for all your kind messages and support which I am very sure will help to see me through this ride. Having just come back from a weeks holiday in the lakes, I have really started to wonder how some people manage to ride a bicycle up some of those hills. It has however given me a new lease of life as I can not drive anymore, in fact I gave up my licence before I was diagnosed. But the freedom is fantastic and the views on this route are really spectacular.
I really thought that I would be too terrified to even try riding a bike, but in the end I felt as if I had not even stopped.
The Society has kindly set up a website for sponsorship which I gather is being sent around to all parts of the country.

www.justgiving.com/kenclasper

I am not sure whether I am allowed to put this on Talking Point these days, but here goes.

Very Best Wishes

Ken

 

[connie]

Thanks for the info Ken. Have counted up the pennies and made a small donation.

Have utmost faith in you.

 

[CraigC]

Great idea and best of luck Ken ... and please take some pictures along the way.

Kindest Regards
Craig

 

[Linda Mc]

Hope you get plenty of support Ken.

Linda x

 

[KenC]

Hi again,

Just to keep you up to date with the event.

The training is now back on track after three weeks off due to my son injuring his leg.

We went out on Sunday and coverd 18 miles after which I wanted to curl up and die.
But tonight we have been out again doing a six mile up hill climb which went up about 200 feet, and I came home feeling a lot better. The six miles back down hill were asbsolutely brilliant, and I must say and quite exillerating. I can not remember feeling like that for a long time.

All the same I think I will be pleased when it is all over.

Best Wishes

Ken

 

[Skye]

Thanks for the update, Ken.

I;m glad the training is back on track. I'm sure you'll do it!

Love,

 

[christine_batch]

Dear Ken,
Wishing you all the best on you ride and hope the weather is apt for your adventure.
Very proud of what you are doing.
Best wishes
Christine

 

[KenC]

Hello again,

This is an amazing adventure at present for me, because I am doing something that would have been impossible before the medication. I used to get stiff and seize up very fast, but I can now get on a bike without a struggle. I do not think Janice can understand all of this, but I feel a lot fitter than I did and I am enjoying seeing all the wild life every morning.

On Wednesday I managed to cycle 11 miles up the cycle track, and bearing in mind that it climbed 1500 feet in that distance, I do not think I did too bad. It was wonderful coming back down the hill again, remembering what it was like when I was a lot younger. On this one day I did it all on my own, and that was a real achievement for me.

Best Wishes
Ken

 

[TinaT]

What can I say? You are just fantastic and I feel a great pride in your hard work and achievements. I'm sure that this will help to keep you fit and well for as long as is humanly possible.

By the middle of the morning, all my joints are working well and I've forgotten all my medical problems which kept me awake and feeling sorry for myself in the middle of the night- they just get pushed out by the business of 'getting on with life'

This 'getting on with living' and refusing to give up is something which you have in abundance. You are an inspiration to me and many others here on TP. Long may you continue.

xxTinaT

 

[lesmisralbles]

Well done Ken

Very good luck from us both
Barb & Ron

 

[Skye]

Glad you're enjoying your training, Ken, and feeling fitter.

Wow, 11 miles, and uphill at that? Way beyond me, though I could have done it once!

Well done, we're all so proud of you.

Love to you and janice,

 

[KenC]

Hi Again,

I would just like to thank all those who gave me morale support during the sponsored cycle ride. We started this event at Whitehaven on Friday 1 pm and finished to day in Sunderland at 1-30 pm.

A total 135 miles in 20 hours including breaks, which was spread out over the three days and this made life a little easier although we did around 45 miles each day. To make things more interesting the terrain was so vastly different each day.

None of the training we have done could have prepared us for what we were expected to do on this route. This was a horrendous journey for many, who must have been close to giving up at any stage..

But although it was hard, most of these people were the nicest people that you would want to meet, and that made up for all the problems.

I was told that they were amazed that I had early on set Dementia, and I strangley I heard no one complain about aches and pains when I was around a group of people.

Janice acted as our support team and look out at times, and I had nothing but admiration for her because she was suffering on her own. Travelling to our next estimated stop and waiting to see if we turned up.

I really do not know how I completed this, because yesterday was a bit on a none starter, I kept forgetting which gear was which.

Today I was back to normal again and I think I went into over drive in the end, because I was determined to start this morning and get to the finish as soon as posibble. The track rose around 600 feet in a mile which was extremely hard going but to be honest I got off and walked that bit.
We then stopped at a cafe on Waskerly Common where we had a cup of tea and a very large bacon butty. After this I was ready for anything.

Looking back I feel releived it is over, but also very proud that I did something that to be honest I thought may be impossible with this illness. I also feel honoured to have met such wonderful group of people who were there to raise money for charity and also raise awareness like me. I also think that I got to know more about my Son Mark.

Best Wishes

Ken

 

[connie]

Dear Ken,

Congratulations​

I just feel so proud of you, so cannot imagine how Janice, Mark and the rest of the family must feel.

What an achievement! You deserve some time off now with your feet up.

I also think that I got to know more about my Son Mark.

That's a bonus Ken. Blessings to you both.