UKC

Back in the 1980's I had my first brush with cancer.

I beat that one and went on to have a long and productive life as a mountain instructor and expedition guide. Ive had a very blessed and happy life.

Over the last couple of years I have been fighting cancer again. My prognosis isnt good and I could be dead in a matter of months (although I'm hoping I get longer obviously . Im determined to get as fit as I can and enjoy life and be a useful member of society as long as I can.

My oncologist (cancer doctor) said I would never ride a bike again and yet here I am mountain biking and just dipping my toe into the water of roadbiking.

If Im going to enter roadbiking events I thought I may as well try to do some good and raise money,so this is how this page came about.

The first event may only be 25 miles which doesn't seem that challenging,but I am still weak,fatigued and have muscle wastage from 4 consecutive operations to rid me of jaundice caused by a tumour blocking my bile duct. I also have permanent low level bum pain from my cancer op,so riding a bike is always going to be challenging. Im hoping to build up to and enter longer,more challenging events as the year goes on.

So far Ive raised £170 since setting up a Just Giving page on Friday,that makes me feel pretty overwhelmed at folks generosity.

If you good folk of UKC would like to support my fundraising for either Marie Curie Cancer Care or Claire House Childrens Hospice, there are 2 ways you can do this.

To make a donation to Marie Curie (my prefered charity) just send a cheque made out to Marie Curie to :

David Hooper
6 Mannering Court
Liverpool
L17 8YD

if you prefer to support Claire House, you should be able to donate direct by clicking the link to my page below.

http://www.justgiving.com/David-Hooper0

Thanks for taking the time to read.

Best wishes

David

Valar Morghulis.

In reply to David Hooper: The Just Giving account is up to £210 already!!!

Thankyou so much folks

In reply to David Hooper:
25 miles sounds plenty challenging enough to me. Best of luck with it. :O)

I just made a donation to Marie Curie via their website on your behalf. (No idea where my chequebook is I'm afraid, not used it in yonks...)
I'll drop you an email so you can add it to your total.

In reply to David Hooper:

will send a cheque when my JSA arrives and if you want any company for the ride i would be happy to join you

In reply to David Hooper: Over £370 in now with more promised.

Thankyou all so much.

In reply to David Hooper:

Must be touching £600 now folks with the cheques that are rolling in for Marie Curie.

Can we make it to £1000? That would be pretty mindblowing!

On a separate note, I have just found out that the italian road bike Ive bought for my fundraising rides is called a Willier. That is italian for "Long Live" - how cool and apt for my personal circumstances is that? Definately chose the right bike

Lastly, as you know my doctors said I would never ride again. Well here is a little video proving them wrong.

In reply to David Hooper: youtube.com/watch?v=knaA4YAfm5w&

In reply to deepsoup: thanks for your generous donation. This really is UKC at its very best

In reply to lost1977: thanks for the donation and yes it would be lovely if you came along and joined Team Chewwie B. You need to register and pay online for the event,so any problems,mail or phone me.

The more the merrier I reckon.

In reply to David Hooper:

As always you are an inspiration.

When and where is this ride? If you mean more the merrier I would like to make the effort if I can make it

In reply to balmybaldwin: July 8th Chester-Liverpool.There is also a 50mile. Lpool-chester-liverpool,but I need to. Do a bit more training first.theyhave a website where toucan register andget all the details.


BTW total now running at £560.00 - I think we may well hit £1000 which is brilliant.

In reply to David Hooper:

As of this morning, we have raised £690. Plus an anonymous donor has mailed me promising £400 and challenging me to raise the target to £2000.

My mind is well and truely blown with the tidal wave of generosity and support being shown here.

So OK - £2000 by next weekend - what do you reckon folks?

Best wishes

David

In reply to David Hooper: Just a thought, but some people at work have just set up a justgiving page for Marie Curie for their event themselves, I think they just followed the justgiving instructions on setting up a page then could select Marie Curie as the charity. If you could do that then Marie Curie will also get gift aid on the donations which will really add up (and will help those of us trying to find cheque books)

In reply to David Hooper:

Thought I'd round that total up for you a wee bit

Best of luck!

In reply to David Hooper:
I don't know you except though UKC, but know you've been through a tough time and wish you good luck with your ride! Have some money for your cause.

Hoppy

PS, you need to get some pedals for your bike

In reply to richard_hopkins: Believe it or not Ive just got plastic pedals and toe straps at the mo. Picking up proper shoes and cleats etc on Tue

Thanks for the donation its all going so much better than I could ever have hoped for . UKC are a generous bunch.

In reply to David Hooper: Morning everyone.

Great news,I think you have smashed the £1000 target (ill get the exact figures later today).

Basically the fundraising was going well anyway. I went to visit friends in the Vaynol Arms in Nantwich Perks last night. Members of the Vagabond MC were in residence and after a whip round they donated £204.00 in cash!!!

So I am now well over the £1000.00. With a week to go and donations still flooding in,if it's OKAY with you guys I don't think it would be unrealistic to reset the target to £2000.00 - 1what do you think?

My bum is still pretty battered after Thursdays MTB ride but no pain thy a few drugs won't numb down and I'm planning on a decent training ride on the roadie when I get back from Wales tonight.

Looking to the future,ill will plan my next next challenge for about 1 month,to 6 weeks off. Maybe aim to double the distance maybe 50/60 miles. So if any of you know of any suitable Etapes/Sportives, please let me know.

Thanks again for all your overwhelming support.

David

Valar morghulis

In reply to David Hooper: ps that should read Nant Peris - bloody spellchecker!!!

In reply to David Hooper: I'm slightly OCD when it comes to round numbers so after checking your Just Giving page I was compelled to get you to a nice round £920. All the best.

In reply to David Hooper: Great effort David. Good luck with the £2000

In reply to David Hooper:Well,we have passed the £1000 goal - £1136.00 and still rising. Thankyou all so much for your generosity. Good old UKC at its best.

In reply to David Hooper: It's higher now! Good Luck.

In reply to David Hooper:
All the best , David...you're inspirational, always liked your posts on here.
Good luck & tailwinds.
Money from the Hope Project (most of it) and a bit more from me.
Mash up that 2-grand total!

In reply to thin bob: Thankyou Bob. The amount now raised stands at an amazing £1421.00!!!

I don't think I it would be unrealistic to aim for £2000 before Sunday.

Thankyou UKC and everyone else who has contributed.

In reply to David Hooper:
Excellent! & good work, Mr Hooper!

Motivation (like you need it..)......cycling over fivers

In reply to David Hooper:

Only £549 to raise and we have achieved £2000, double the original goal. The generosity is incrdible and spurs me on to look for my next challenge. Thankyou everybody.

In reply to David Hooper: The donations are rolling in today. Only £477.00 needed to hit £2000.00.

Marvelous stuff,Thankyou UKC

In reply to David Hooper:

Hi Dave

We're having a little whip round tonight at all three 'Awesome Walls Climbing Centres'.

I'll let you know how we get on later tonight or first thing tomorrow.

Good luck with getting over the £2,000 mark and extra Awesome good luck with the ride mate.

Dave D, Staff and Awesome Generous Customers
http://www.facebook.com/AwesomeWallsLiverpool

Just in case you're looking for this- http://www.justgiving.com/David-Hooper0

In reply to D Douglas: Stockport/Liverpool: Ah cheers Dave. Will pop in and see you all soon,it's been too long. I have a pile of AMI mags to donate as well.

Looking forward to hearing how the whipround went

In reply to David Hooper:

Dave, We raised £120 from our little whip round last night from all three Awesome Walls.

Big thanks to all our Awesome customers.

The monies now in your Just Giving account.

All the best,

Dave D.
http://www.facebook.com/AwesomeWallsLiverpool

In reply to D Douglas: Stockport/Liverpool:

Dave - thanks thats really fantastic - its given us the last little push we need to achieve an incredible £2000.00 raised in under 2 weeks.

Only £297.00 to go to reach a grand total of £2000.00 and we only started this thing a week and a half ago. Absolutely incredible response from everybody. Could you all please share this on Facebook or with your friends to help with the last little push.

Im pretty fatigued and in bum pain at the moment, but nothing a few strong painkillers wont help. Also have a team of 5 good friends riding with me who will help me succeed on the day.

Thanks again for all the support everyone.

If this is successful, I will be looking for a bigger challenge for about a month-6 weeks time - maybe a 50 miler next time.

Valar morghulis

David

In reply to David Hooper:

Only £232.00 to go to reach £2000.00, the last minute donations are still trickling in.

I woke up at silly oclock this morning with excitement about tomorrows ride

In reply to David Hooper:

£157.00 to go - will we crack £2000.00?

Just been out for a very short ride after watching this afternoons Le Tour (what a finish).

Bum is pretty sore which is slightly worrying for tomorrow. Lots of painkiller and Chamois Creme will be the order of the day.

In reply to David Hooper: Hi David. YHM

In reply to David Hooper:

Last night an anonymous donor gave £147.00 taking us to a straight £2000.00 which is double what I ever had expected to raise. Thankyou so much..this morning is the morning of the ride and I feel a lot of responsibility on my shooulders. Wish me luck!

Keep on giving if you can and watch this space as I shall post some vids/photos, you can even spot the guilty UKC members.

Thankyou once again for the Stirling effort everybody.

In reply to David Hooper:
Excellent!! Bloody well done! Have fun today ..

In reply to David Hooper: you're a better man than me - have another £15 and i hope the donation keep rolling in