Le Harve to Geneva cycle in support of The Ellen MacArthur Trust
 In 2005 Beau Curtis (Far Right Above) came sailing with the trust, one year later his two sisters and a friend of the family, will ride from Le Havre, on the north
coast of France, to Geneva in Switzerland to
raise money for the Ellen MacArthur Trust. Read Josie Curtis e-mail below which describes her motivation for the ride...
" In the summer of 2004 my youngest brother Beau (then 11) was
diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. It goes without saying that this
came as a major shock to myself and my family and affected us all
greatly. He received Chemotherapy over a nine month period and spent
lots of his summer holiday in hospital. A central line was fitted
directly into a vein in his shoulder so that medication could be
administered, this meant that contact with water was difficult since
the line was open and infections could occur. For an 11yr with a love
of canoeing this was total torture! His illness meant that he missed
out on the majority of 2005 and was unable to take part in sports that
he loved and had to be constantly watched. This is hard work on an 11
yr who's discovering his independence. To have your Mum, Dad and your
big sisters watch your every move, is not at all good for the street
cred!. In the summer of 2005 he finally had the line removed and had
the all clear to go out and play!! Another stroke of luck saw him take
up an offer to go sailing with the Ellen MacArthur Trust. He was at first very
nervous about the trip, but on his return all the nerves were replaced
with tales of his adventure. He was the happiest kid Id ever seen and
he didn't stop talking about Ellen and the team.
It's now February 2006 and Beau's latest test results reveal that the
cancer has come back. Although the doctors are confident they can deal
with it, it doesn't stop your heart aching and your mind reeling with
what if's at every waking hour. Beau's illness had a major effect on
me, it may sound selfish to be speaking of myself, the one without
cancer, but the change an event like this can have on you is profound.
Every thought or plan you have is shadowed by the fact that he is ill.
I've always been someone who wants to travel, but his illness has made
me terrified of going away, I was in America with my sister working at
a summer camp when Beau was diagnosed, so my fear stems form first hand
experience. My reasons for wanting to do this ride deal with my desire
to help the Trust and myself. I want to raise money so that children
like Beau can break away form their illnesses and go sailing, to say
thank you for taking Beau and showing so much care and to prove to
myself that I can go traveling again!"
If you would like to sponsor Josie and the team please visit www.justgiving.com/lehavre2geneva
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