LONDON
On the morning of Sunday, July 7, I embarked on an unforgettable journey from Blackheath, London, to Le Trocadéro, Paris with a group of 13 riders, all raising money for various charities. My mission was to support Macmillan Cancer Support, with an initial goal of £1800, which I am proud to say I surpassed by raising over 125% of that target.
Our adventure began by tackling the undulating hills of Kent, which presented a mix of challenges and stunning scenery. By the late afternoon, we reached Dover and took the ferry to Dunkirk, preparing ourselves for the next leg of the journey. The following morning, we cycled 160 km to Cambrai. The ride was demanding, but the camaraderie and shared purpose kept our spirits high. From Cambrai, we headed to Soissons, a day marked by trying to speed over a blanket of clouds and enduring a few steep hills. As we approached Soissons, torrential rain greeted us, adding a layer of complexity to our ride.
The final leg of our journey began the next morning, setting off for Paris. We concluded our ride at the iconic Arc de Triomphe and then took the straight road to Le Trocadéro, where the sight of the Eiffel Tower awaited us, a fitting end as Paris prepared for the upcoming Olympics.
Cycling these 543 kilometres, with a climb of 3997 metres, was not just a physical challenge but an emotional journey. I rode in memory of my paternal grandmother, Sulbha aaji, who lost her battle with breast cancer just shy of her 45th birthday. Growing up, her story loomed large in our family, filled with love and loss. The shadow of cancer has loomed over my family for decades, claiming lives and leaving a lasting impact.
I’ve often found myself captivated by the stories my father told me about her; anecdotes that would come out of nowhere, surprising me with glimpses into a life he rarely discussed. It makes sense, given how young he was when she passed. I once asked him why he never spoke about her, and he simply said, “I never realized I didn’t tell you much about her,” before pausing and adding, “I guess it’s just been that long.” This topic has been the unspoken pain that has haunted our family for decades, leaving me to build a blurry jigsaw of a woman I never met. Cancer does that to you.
What I know for sure is that the world back then didn’t have the right affordable technology to save her. Despite these challenges, she fought bravely, embodying a spirit of tenacity that I like to think has been passed down through the generations. But if we want many others to be so lucky and beat the ‘emperor of all maladies,’ we need to support people through the social, emotional, and practical impact cancer can have.
Then, when I was 15 years old, we received the devastating news that my dad had been diagnosed with cancer too. However, due to the tremendous progress in cancer research and diagnosis, as well as the financial and emotional support my family received – not to mention his own steady resilience – he was able to fight it off and is healthy today.
My father’s battle with cancer, which he overcame, thanks to advances in cancer research and the support we received, further motivated me. This ride symbolizes not just a personal triumph but a collective effort to support those battling this disease and their families. Macmillan Cancer Support provides vital services, research, and campaigns to achieve better cancer care, making a profound difference in the lives of many.
Every pedal stroke was a tribute to those fighting cancer and a step towards a future with better care and support for patients. This experience has been profoundly meaningful, symbolizing the fight against cancer and the support needed for those affected.
They say almost everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer – not surprising, given 1 in 5 people develop it in their lifetime, and approximately 1 in 9 men and 1 in 12 women die from the disease according to the World Health Organisation. To combat this, we not only need to invest in research and treatment but also need to support those living with cancer and their families at every stage of their cancer journey.
This is why I cycled the full 532 km from London to Paris to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support, which provides vital cancer services, research, and campaign to achieve better cancer care. They not only support the cancer workforce but also give emotional, financial, and practical support to the patients and families of those suffering from the disease.
(The writer who hails from Arambol holds an MSc (Distinction) in Modern South Asian Studies from the University of Oxford and an MA (Honours) in International Relations with Quantitative Methods from the University of Edinburgh and is director at DGA Group (formerly Dentons Global Advisors), London, England, UK)
