David Blackett Kidney Cancer Care Fund
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Overview
David Blackett
Five blokes - not very fit (and none of them very pretty) cycle from Tasburgh to Westminster to try and 'encourage' NICE and the government to make Sutent freely available to all that could benefit. Not just those with the right post code!
Discussion on The Forum
Hi - there is a discussion on this effort to raise the profile of KC & the Challenges David Blackett & his friends are facing at:
http://www.kidneycancerresource.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=84&t=166&p=530#p530
Why?
This idea was, as all good ideas are, conceived over beer. James' Dad, David Blackett, has Kidney cancer. Like many others with the same problems he could benefit greatly from Sutent, but the NHS won't pay for it, not in the Norfolk and Norwich PCT.
More on David's story can be found from the BBC Website if you Click Here
So James and his friends are talking, over beer, they decide this whole thing is outrageous, which it is. So they decide to raise money to help David pay for his treatment - but then it was discovered that David could source other funding and hence the plan morphed in to something new.
Although David was able to get his Sutent, albeit partly self-funded, he recognises that others are completely at the mercy of this post code lottery and he wanted to do what he could to stop this from happening. This tied in with James and his friends original plan to raise money by a sponsored ride to Westminster. Instead of riding to raise money for David, James and the rest of the boys decided to ride to raise money for the James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer - but more importantly to raise the issue of Sutent in the minds of parliament and the rest of the world. A bold plan, but none the less they went for it.
Fortunately their MP Richard Bacon has been a signatory to a parliamentary Early Day Motion Click Here calling for Sutent to be made available, and he supports this cause all the way.
So what's happening?
These five gentlemen will be mounting their bikes at 10am on Saturday the 31st May in the village of Tasburgh (for those uninitiated in the vagaries of Norfolk speak - this is pronounced Tays-borough) to head to Westminster. They will have with them a letter for the government and NICE asking for Sutent to be made freely available countrywide to all those cancer patients that could benefit.
The final leg of their journey will be on Monday 2nd June, which will take them from Basildon through to Westminster. At 11am they will be met at Westminster by Richard Bacon MP and James Whale. Hopefully there will also be some of the other MPs who signed on to the above Early Day Motion - and YOU! Yes, you dear reader. If not you, then someone you know - send your wives, husbands and children, your cleaners, butlers and footmen. We would like as many people as possible to be there when they arrive.
Indeed, if anyone wants to meet with the boys on the ride and join them at any stage they are more than welcome, join to ride with us for ANY stage even consider joining to ride from your village or town only to the next to increase 'community spirit'.
Below is a detailed itinerary with estimated times of every stage so that you will know when we will be in YOUR location - please pass on the details to your local Church Group, Scouts, Town or Village Council we would be happy to join with then on route.
Also PLEASE give details to your local hospital and Doctors surgery and the local papers.
We will shortly have an A4 advertisement which you can print out and put up on your local school, church, leisure centre or town Notice Board. Your local chemist and also your local cycle shop might also put up a poster for you.
Thank you for ANY help you can give to raise awareness of the Post Code lottery for cancer patients needing drugs to live. Help us to bring an end to the hidden system of EUthenasia.
Fund Raising and Raising Awareness
Facebook Campaign
MySpace Page
Norfolk to Westiminster Cycle Ride May/June 08
The Team
The Riders
James "Two Tyres" Blackett (shown here with his father, David)
Mark "Conan" King 
Ian "Essex" Smith
Ant "Legs" Wiggins 
Darren "Neutron" Styles
The Route
DAY 1. SATURDAY 31-May-08 START 10.00hrs.
The boys start off from Tasburgh at 10am and head down the A140 towards Ipswich.
Just before the A140 meets the A14 they take a left and head through to the village of Claydon.
After Claydon they head under the A14 down past Bramford and the past Sproughton and head through Copdock towards the A12.
They head out of Copdock and under the A12 and through Bentley onto the A137.
They follow the A137 all the way to Colchester where they will arrive and spend the night at the Premier Inn on the North side of town.
In terms of villages and towns they will pass through or near;
Tasburgh,
Stratton St Michael,
Long Stratton,
Pulham Market,
Langmere,
Dickleburgh,
Thelveton,
Scole,
Diss,
Brome,
Yaxley,
The Fornhams,
Stoke Ash,
Mendlesham,
Brockford,
Stonham,
Needham Market,
Barham,
Claydon,
Bramford,
Ipswich,
Sproughton,
Copdock,
Capel St Mary,
Bentley,
Tattingstone,
Cattawade,
Manningtree,
Lawford,
Ardleigh,
Colchester.
To see a map:
DAY 2. SUNDAY 01-Jun-08
The chaps head into Colchester on Ipswich road and come out the other side of town on Maldon Road and Shrub End Road.
Follow that all the way through to Tiptree and the North Great Totham to Heybridge and around Maldon.
From there they head to Woodham Mortimer and on through Bicknacre and Woodham Ferrers.
Then around South Woodham Ferrers, across the A130 and on through Wickford into Basildon where they stay at the Festival Park Premier Inn.
In terms of towns and villages they go:
Colchester,
Heckford Bridge,
Birch,
Smythes Green,
Messing,
Tiptree,
North Great Totham,
Wickham Bishops,
Heybridge,
Maldon,
Woodham Mortimer,
Bicknacre,
Woodham Ferrers,
South Woodham Ferrers,
Battlesbridge,
Runwell,
Wickford,
Basildon.
For a map:
DAY 3. MONDAY 02-Jun-08
The chaps will leave Basildon on the A127 and then head south on the A128 and cut through to West Horndon.
From there under the M25 and on to Upminster.
Follow the A124 and the A1083 through to Ilford.
Pick up the A11 at Stratford and follow that down to Aldgate and cut through to pick up the Embankment and on to Westminster.
The boys are due to meet Richard Bacon MP and James Whale there at 11am outside St Stephens Gate which is the one opposite Westminster Abbey.
It is also expected that the BBC will be there with cameras from the Daily Politics show.
In terms of towns and London boroughs – it’s probably easiest to look at the map:
Contact Details
Please use the above link for any queries you may have. We also appreciate any messages of support for the cause you may care to send us!
Alternatively suggestions and help would be very welcome via The Forum if you Click Here
News Articles
Diss Express (KC) 06-Jun-08
ITV Local Anglia News 2-June-08
- The Set-Off!!
Diss Mercury (KC) 23-May-08
- Friends of David Blackett denied Sutent on their bikes to boost charity....
BBC (KC) 23-Apr-08
- David Blackett fights for kidney cancer drug Sutent
Eastern Daily Press (KC) 12-Apr-08
Press Releases
Kidney Cancer Sufferer Meets MP at Parliament 02-Jun-08
- Press release from The James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer
The Finish
from Left to Right
Andy Thomas, Darren Styles, Ian Smith, James Whale, Richard Bacon MP, David Blackett,
Mark King, James Blackett, Anthony Wiggins, David Childs
....and thanks to...
Richard and Vicky Bailey of Promote-U Click Here for providing us with t-shirts and logos.
EDF Energy for supplying us with the support vehicle and for helping us with the overnight accommodation.
RG Carters for all their support, proving that retired is not forgotten!
Last but by no means least - Andy Thomas and Greg Lance-Watkins from this very site for their advice and their help.
References
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