Bournemouth resident Carol Davies, 57, is starting the New Year with a challenging resolution: to raise funds for charity by cycling between Boscombe and Bournemouth piers 16 times (25 miles) on 23 February. Her sponsored cycle will raise money for Operation Elliot, a Southbourne family’s fundraising campaign to raise £66,300 for a life-changing operation at Great Ormond Street Hospital for their six-year-old son, who has cerebral palsy and Severe Haemophilia A.
Elliot Gower has been assessed as a suitable candidate for Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR), a pioneering operation that will make it easier for him to walk and give him much more independence as he gets older. The NHS does not currently fund this operation, despite impressive success stories in the U.K. and the U.S.
Carol has known Elliot’s family for years, having taught his mum, aunt and Grandma how to play the piano. She decided she wanted to help fund Elliot’s operation when she first heard about the campaign and chose the pier to pier challenge because the promenade is one of her favourite winter cycling routes. Carol cycles with her husband regularly so feels ready to gear up for this extra long challenge for the New Year: “I’m aiming to set off at 10am and finish at 1pm – I could cycle it much more quickly but I want to leave time for pit stops and Operation Elliot publicity opportunities! I’m hoping to raise as much money as possible – the sky’s the limit”.
Elliot’s Mum Morwenna has fond memories of Carol: “To think that Carol taught me to play piano when I was Elliot’s age and now she is cycling for my little boy, it’s wonderful! We are hoping that Elliot will be able cycle on his trike with Carol for a little bit of her ride – he’ll be very excited if he can manage it!”.
Elliot’s family and friends launched Operation Elliot in November and have already raised over £21,000 largely through social media donations, events such as coffee mornings and support from local businesses. They have appealed for people to organise their own events to help them reach the target.
Carol would love you to support her on the promenade on 23 February, or to sponsor her please visit the Operation Elliot Just Giving page https://www.justgiving.com/OperationElliot and donate now, noting in the comments section that you are sponsoring the Pier to Pier Pedal. You can also follow Elliot’s progress on Twitter @SDRforElliot and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/operationelliot or the Operation Elliot blog at www.operationelliot.org
