205 Miles by Bike for Sepsis

Thanks for taking a look at my fundraiser! I'm Josh and in June this year I'll be cycling from the east coast of England to the west coast of England to raise money to help fight Sepsis.

What I'm Doing

On June 22nd I'm taking part in Chase the Sun South - a one-day, 205 mile cycling event. The route begins at sunrise in the Thames estuary and then bi-sects south London, bridging the Thames onto Wiggin’s Olympic time trial route, before seeking green country lanes, quaint villages, the lush Vale of Pewsey, climbing the Mendip hills, descending breathtaking Cheddar gorge, finally arriving on the seafront at Weston-Super-Mare.​

It's an early start to catch sunrise at 4:41am. The 205 mile (330km) route includes 3000 meters (9800 ft) of elevation gain - that's almost 10x the height of London's Shard. It's going to be a big test of my physical endurance and mental fortitude.

Why I'm Doing It

I'm raising money to help fight Sepsis. My Sister-in-Law was recently taken ill with the condition. Her fight and recovery has inspired me to try to make a small difference. Sepsis is a serious illness in which the body responds improperly to an infection. The infection-fighting processes turn on the body, causing the organs to work poorly. Sepsis may progress to septic shock. This is a dramatic drop in blood pressure that can damage the lungs, kidneys, liver and other organs.

Sepsis is indiscriminate: while it primarily affects very young children and older adults, and is also more common in people with underlying health conditions, it can sometimes be triggered in those who are otherwise fit and healthy.

Sepsis is treatable if it is identified and treated quickly. The challenge is identifying it in the first place. There is no single sign and no single diagnostic test – symptoms can also present differently in adults and children. This challenging identification process is one of the main reasons why it claims so many lives each year. In the UK alone, 245,000 people are affected by sepsis with at least 48,000 people losing their lives in sepsis-related illnesses every year. This is more than breast, bowel and prostate cancer combined.

Many people who recover from Sepsis can suffer from ongoing phycological difficulties related to the physical and mental trauma of the illness. The phycological scars can far outweigh time spent with the condition.

How your Donation will Help

100% of donations will be forwarded to The UK Sepsis Trust .