Brian's Cross France Channel to Med Cycle Challenge

My Story

Starting on 3 June I will be cycling 840 miles across France, from The Channel to The Med over 10 days, including The Massif Central and the famous Mount Ventoux. This mileage is slightly less than Lands End to John O'Groats but with much more climbing, equal to twice as high as Everest, it will be the hardest cycle challenge I have taken on. I definitely need added incentive as I lost virtually all of February and March's training time after suffering a back injury, and was so sore that I could barely walk.

Obviously, for me, this in memory of our baby daughter, Siobhan, who was stillborn when my wife, Jo, was 42 weeks pregnant in January 1989. When Siobhan died I vowed to make something positive from the trauma and tragedy of her death. Today I am Chair of Essex Sands and a Befriender for Sands, attending regularly our monthly support meeting for bereaved parents and their families. Here, parents, often very recently bereaved, can come and share in a safe environment their feelings and find support from other parents who have been through similar tragic experiences.

I don't need a cycle challenge to remember Siobhan, as I think of her and those events many times every single day of my life. Through Sands I have had the immense privilege of meeting many wonderful bereaved parents and hearing of their traumatic experiences of their own baby loss. I have heard their babies' names and I remember so many of them. My heart breaks for them, as I know just how they are suffering, and it feels it will never end. So on my bike ride as well as Siobhan I will be thinking of all those beautiful little babies, their heartbroken Mums & their Dads trying to cope, be brave and just get his family through this nightmare. By thinking of them all they will be helping me, they will be my inspiration. I have seen first hand their pain and their bravery, their fear and their determination, and their need to find hope. To arrive at the destination at the end of my ride in the city of Nice will be to honour Siobhan and each and every one of those babies and their parents.

I know from our own experience that with good support, care and time parents can find a new path in life and learn how to live with their own tragedy. Sands provides exactly this support with Groups like ours throughout the UK. Indeed Sands is not simply a lifeline after baby death as very importantly Sands campaigns for change, provides training for midwives and healthcare professionals and supports research so fewer babies die and less families experience this tragedy. If you can support Sands, and give me a huge boost of encouragement. I would be so very very grateful. 

Thank you x