Riders show pedal power to complete London to Paris challenge

Geoff Cousins, chairman at blood cancer charity Cure Leukaemia and quality management provider G&P, was among the riders to complete the London 2 Paris charity bike ride.

The ride took place during Blood Cancer Awareness Month and the riders covered up to 80 miles a day in the saddle before crossing the finish line in the French capital.

Geoff himself managed to raise £5,000 and is still welcoming donations, while the overall amount raised by the riders for Cure Leukaemia will be in excess of £100,000.

All funds raised will be invested in the national Trials Acceleration Programme (TAP), a network of 12 specialist research nurses in the UK 's biggest hospitals and a Hub based at the Centre for Clinical Haematology in Birmingham.

The Cure Leukaemia funded TAP enables accelerated setup, patient recruitment and delivery of blood cancer clinical trials benefitting patients within a UK catchment area of over 20 million people.

Geoff, himself, has particular reason for supporting the cancer charity Cure Leukaemia as he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2005.

Geoff said: “Truthfully I did not do enough training and it was tough physically and mentally at times but the camaraderie and support from the group pulled me through - it is a Cure Leukaemia family. It was a great experience to share with the other riders as we crossed the finish line in front of the Eiffel Tower in central Paris.

“More important is the cause that the money raised will go towards - Cure Leukaemia.

“The charity funds ground-breaking work that gives patients access to potentially lifesaving treatments for blood cancer which, unfortunately, still devastates too many lives.

“The national Trials Accelerated Programme is crucial in helping finding a cure for leukaemia. ”

Donations are still being accepted on Geoff 's JustGiving page, click here.

For more information about Cure Leukaemia, click here, while for details of the London 2 Paris bike ride, click here.