We are delighted to feature this news as unfortunately leukaemia touches far too many lives. The funding to aid finding a cure to leukaemia will ultimately help many to lead fuller lives free from the disease. So, rather than ending a news item with a well done, we felt that the start was more appropriate. Well done Hayden Groves and all taking part in GT15!
Former National chef of the year Hayden Groves, is gearing up to get ‘Back in the Saddle’ next year for Cure Leukaemia, the BaxterStorey executive chef who wrote an award winning charity book of the same title two years ago will once again be joining ex England international footballer Geoff Thomas for his last ever Tour de France, forming a peloton of 20 aiming to cycle over 3,400 km next June and July, one day before the professionals and to help raise £1,000,000 for Cure Leukaemia.
The GT15 event marks 15 years since Geoff was declared in remission from chronic myeloid leukaemia, It also comes at a crucial stage in Cure Leukaemia’s continuing development and growing influence. The funds raised by GT15 will be invested directly into funding specialist research nurses at 12 centres across the country to form the national Trials Acceleration Programme (TAP) network which Cure Leukaemia will begin funding from January 2020.
One of Britain’s leading fine wine merchants Farr Vintners was announced as the headline sponsor for GT15, which will mean that every pound raised will go direct to Cure Leukaemia and helping save lives.
If you would like to support his efforts for the charity you can do so here.
Professor Craddock, CBE was eloquently grateful telling us: “What this team of people are doing is extraordinary.” Professor Craddock treated Geoff Thomas and is one of the co-founders of Cure Leukaemia and continued: “Their efforts will transform the outcomes for patients; and change the models we are using internationally to treat blood cancer. Patients from an increased catchment area of over 20 million people will have access, as a result, to potentially life-saving treatments not currently available through standard care.’’
Hayden Groves also spoke with us about his forthcoming cycling adventure and Cure Leukaemia saying: “Last year I was proudly asked to be a patron, I’ve been supporting the charity since 2015, when I rode my first tour, then two years later an unprecedented three grand tours in one season, currently my personal fundraising is at £165,00 but I’m ambitiously setting myself the goal of trying to get to the figure of £250,000, 1/4 of a million sounds like a nice round number!
“I haven’t exactly let myself go since 2017, but at the same time not really spent much time on the bike over the last year also, my annual total is not much more than what we will be expected to ride in just 3 weeks and with a few more mountains thrown in for good measure, so there’s a lot of work to be done on and off the bike!”
We congratulate Hayden Groves on his achievements to date and look forward to following his progress in GT15 next summer, twitter would seem the obvious choice.