BSGE member Lutfi Shamsuddin reports on the first BSGE London to Edinburgh Cycle Ride, which will happen from May 5th next year.

Preceding the next ASM in May next year, a group of BSGE surgeons will be cycling their way to the meeting to raise funds for Endometriosis UK and increase awareness of Endometriosis.

The idea was initially hatched before the meeting in Hull. I cycled with colleagues from Cardiff and Bangor from North to South Wales in aid of Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, raising over £10k in the process. Prior to this there were months of training, lots of sweat, tears and at times reluctance to get out on the bike, especially during the winter months.

After the ride, I had a void in my life. I was scouring the internet for a new challenge. There was the initial thought of the LEJOG (Lands End to John O’Groats) but 9 days away from home would not be well received by my wife. A new plan was needed. How about London to Edinburgh? At just 4 days, I thought she’d understand- but I decided it was one to keep on the back burner.

During the ASM in Hull, I met Emma Cox, Director of Endometriosis UK. We talked briefly about the idea of the cycle ride but nothing was concrete. Well, that was until my raffle ticket was pulled during the ASM dinner that evening, Emma announced to the hall that I was doing the cycle ride for Endo UK- I guess I was committed! After the dinner, there was excellent enthusiasm from fellow BSGE cyclists, they were keen to form a peloton and cycle as a team. The project gathered momentum, we were keen to carry that forward- and also find a way to tell the significant other halves!

The route
Let me share a bit of information and detail about the ride: We are planning to cycle from capital to capital over 4 days. We will be covering approximately 450 miles over that time, with a planned route is as follows:

Day 1: Saturday 5th May: London to Spalding via Cambridge
Day 2: Sunday 6th May: Spalding to York via Guisborough
Day 3: Monday 7th May: York to Newcastle Upon Tyne
Day 4: Tuesday 8th May: Newcastle Upton Tyne to Edinburgh

During the ride, we will be ably assisted by Richard Penketh and Liz Bruen as our support and broom wagon, making sure we will arrive at our destination safely. The ride will be self-funded, with all participants sharing the costs. All monies raised will go directly to Endometriosis UK.

If you are interested in joining the ride, please email me at Lutfi.Shamsuddin@wales.nhs.uk for more details. For logistics planning, we need you to please confirm your place by 31st December, 2017. Why not make it your new year’s resolution? Places are limited and you will need to provide a deposit to cover initial expenses. You should be ready to ride from London on Saturday 5th May at 7.30am until Tuesday 8th May 2018- so there’s plenty of time to get out there and start training.

Once we arrive in Edinburgh, individual accommodation will need to be self-arranged as well as transportation of your bike back. Although we have not stipulated a minimum amount, we do expect you to be active in fundraising for this event and donations should be directed to the team Virgin money giving page.

Alternatively, if you would like to support us and donate to the cause, our webpage is here. Help us achieve our target and thank you in advance for your donation and support. Keep an eye on the BSGE website and Scope for news and pictures on our training progress throughout the year.