Local fundraising superstar to open Bromswold Bike Fest
Ten-year-old Esme Johnson, who raised over £2,000 for the Macmillan Woodlands Centre at Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Huntingdon earlier this year, is to open this year’s Bromswold Bikefest on 10 June, a thriving local charity cycling event.
When her grandmother was diagnosed with cancer, Esme decided to raise money by cycling 13 miles from Great Gransden to Huntingdon. Her aim was to raise £218, enough for just one chemotherapy chair but her endeavour saw her raise enough money to buy closer to ten chairs.
Sadly, her family’s brush with cancer is destined to be increasingly common. In fact, by the end of 2016, more than a thousand people will be diagnosed with cancer every day in the UK. According to MacMillan Cancer Support, there are currently 2.5 million people living with cancer – for many of whom the support the charity offers is a lifeline in a time of crisis.
During her feat, Esme was supported by her dad Nik, a paediatrician who works at Hinchingbrooke. It is no surprise that he is proud of his daughter. “I’m proud of Esme for undertaking the ride but I am also impressed by the maturity she has shown since her Granny was diagnosed. She has asked important questions and is really trying to understand what her Granny and other people who are affected by illness have to deal with.”
In fact, Leighton Bromswold, the village that hosts and runs Bromswold Bikefest, has seen first-hand the importance of the support given by Macmillan nurses, which is why, along with Shine it is one of the two chosen charities for the event.
While cancer is a diagnosis everyone fears, there are a host of other conditions that leave families in dire need of support. In a strange coincidence, Esme’s dad Nik works with children with a range of neurological conditions from brain injuries to spina bifida and anencephaly and knows local families who are affected and who rely on Shine for its support.
Shine is a charity dedicated to supporting families with babies and children, young adults, and individuals affected by spina bifida, hydrocephalus and other related conditions that can be life threatening and life limiting.
Those who have a child or adult with a disability can sometimes feel very isolated – Shine provides much-needed contact with other families as well as advice and guidance.
Tamsin whose son Oscar has hydrocephalus, or fluid on the brain, says the support she and her family received through Shine is amazing. “Shine has been by our side from day one. The advice and guidance, especially at the outset of our journey with Oscar, has been invaluable. It is great to speak to a team who have the knowledge to help with the day-to-day challenges we face as a family caring for a child with hydrocephalus, from answering medical questions to helping source a suitable cycle helmet. The community is amazing. When Oscar was in hospital last year due to a shunt infection, we got well wishes for him from other Shine families up and down the country!”
Also in the village, Fabienne is another fan of the help offered by the volunteers at Shine. “We have been getting support from Shine since the day we got Teddy’s diagnosis of hydrocephalus. They put us in touch with families in similar situations and allowed us to glean so much knowledge from parents and everyone in the Shine office. The monthly 0-5-year-old group has become a highlight in a diary full of appointments for our son. I honestly don't know what we would do without the group and knowing they are at the end of the phone. Without Shine we wouldn’t be as prepared as we are to deal with our son’s lifelong condition.”
As a doctor, Nik believes that children really benefit when adults are open about illness, be it cancer or a condition such as Oscar’s and Teddy’s. “I feel Esme, and the rest of our children, have a greater understanding of what is happening to their granny and how it affects family as a whole. It about developing empathy and teaching children not to be scared of serious illness and death.”
It was this belief that made him agree to the request that Esme open Bromswold Bike Fest – in part. In a curious twist, having cared for Oscar, Nik already knew about Bromswold Bike Fest. “I am impressed by the idea of a small village putting in such a big event. It gets people talking about difficult issues and rarer problems, brings a community together and encourages people to be open and inclusive about all. It is something a community can be proud of whilst at the same time encouraging a message of exercise, joint participation, fun and community spirit.”
The Bromswold Bike Fest team is keen to break the £6,000 barrier this year so that it can make a difference to two different charities. But, just as importantly, Bromswold Bikefest is all about family. “It is not a race or sportive. It is all about a great day out for the family, with the happy opportunity that you can do a bit for charity. We have distances to suit everyone, from two miles right up to 70 miles. Fathers, sons, mothers, daughters, grandparents and even canine companions are all welcome, although not on the ride itself” said Carol Greed one of the event’s founders.
For those who are not cycling or who want to be entertained after they cycle, there will be a street fayre, Pimms tent, a bustling BBQ, great ice cream and live music from the HUMS Big Band. Visit www.bromswoldbikefest.org to register or learn more about the fun-filled day.
The lowdown on Oscar and Teddy
Oscar, age 13, was born with hydrocephalus causing significant brain damage and subsequent disabilities. Oscar is a wheelchair user, severely sight impaired and has learning disabilities. He also suffers from other medical conditions such as epilepsy and cerebral palsy. Oscar’s hydrocephalus is managed by a shunt, which is a tiny valve that drains the fluid from his brain into his tummy. He has needed several brain operations over the years to revise his shunt.
Teddy is three and has an undiagnosed genetic condition and severe development delay. He caught meningitis at 12 days old and ended up on life support for a week. At six months old, he was diagnosed with hydrocephalus and although it is unclear if it was a result of the meningitis or the undiagnosed genetic condition, he had immediate brain surgery to fit a shunt.
When her grandmother was diagnosed with cancer, Esme decided to raise money by cycling 13 miles from Great Gransden to Huntingdon. Her aim was to raise £218, enough for just one chemotherapy chair but her endeavour saw her raise enough money to buy closer to ten chairs.
Sadly, her family’s brush with cancer is destined to be increasingly common. In fact, by the end of 2016, more than a thousand people will be diagnosed with cancer every day in the UK. According to MacMillan Cancer Support, there are currently 2.5 million people living with cancer – for many of whom the support the charity offers is a lifeline in a time of crisis.
During her feat, Esme was supported by her dad Nik, a paediatrician who works at Hinchingbrooke. It is no surprise that he is proud of his daughter. “I’m proud of Esme for undertaking the ride but I am also impressed by the maturity she has shown since her Granny was diagnosed. She has asked important questions and is really trying to understand what her Granny and other people who are affected by illness have to deal with.”
In fact, Leighton Bromswold, the village that hosts and runs Bromswold Bikefest, has seen first-hand the importance of the support given by Macmillan nurses, which is why, along with Shine it is one of the two chosen charities for the event.
While cancer is a diagnosis everyone fears, there are a host of other conditions that leave families in dire need of support. In a strange coincidence, Esme’s dad Nik works with children with a range of neurological conditions from brain injuries to spina bifida and anencephaly and knows local families who are affected and who rely on Shine for its support.
Shine is a charity dedicated to supporting families with babies and children, young adults, and individuals affected by spina bifida, hydrocephalus and other related conditions that can be life threatening and life limiting.
Those who have a child or adult with a disability can sometimes feel very isolated – Shine provides much-needed contact with other families as well as advice and guidance.
Tamsin whose son Oscar has hydrocephalus, or fluid on the brain, says the support she and her family received through Shine is amazing. “Shine has been by our side from day one. The advice and guidance, especially at the outset of our journey with Oscar, has been invaluable. It is great to speak to a team who have the knowledge to help with the day-to-day challenges we face as a family caring for a child with hydrocephalus, from answering medical questions to helping source a suitable cycle helmet. The community is amazing. When Oscar was in hospital last year due to a shunt infection, we got well wishes for him from other Shine families up and down the country!”
Also in the village, Fabienne is another fan of the help offered by the volunteers at Shine. “We have been getting support from Shine since the day we got Teddy’s diagnosis of hydrocephalus. They put us in touch with families in similar situations and allowed us to glean so much knowledge from parents and everyone in the Shine office. The monthly 0-5-year-old group has become a highlight in a diary full of appointments for our son. I honestly don't know what we would do without the group and knowing they are at the end of the phone. Without Shine we wouldn’t be as prepared as we are to deal with our son’s lifelong condition.”
As a doctor, Nik believes that children really benefit when adults are open about illness, be it cancer or a condition such as Oscar’s and Teddy’s. “I feel Esme, and the rest of our children, have a greater understanding of what is happening to their granny and how it affects family as a whole. It about developing empathy and teaching children not to be scared of serious illness and death.”
It was this belief that made him agree to the request that Esme open Bromswold Bike Fest – in part. In a curious twist, having cared for Oscar, Nik already knew about Bromswold Bike Fest. “I am impressed by the idea of a small village putting in such a big event. It gets people talking about difficult issues and rarer problems, brings a community together and encourages people to be open and inclusive about all. It is something a community can be proud of whilst at the same time encouraging a message of exercise, joint participation, fun and community spirit.”
The Bromswold Bike Fest team is keen to break the £6,000 barrier this year so that it can make a difference to two different charities. But, just as importantly, Bromswold Bikefest is all about family. “It is not a race or sportive. It is all about a great day out for the family, with the happy opportunity that you can do a bit for charity. We have distances to suit everyone, from two miles right up to 70 miles. Fathers, sons, mothers, daughters, grandparents and even canine companions are all welcome, although not on the ride itself” said Carol Greed one of the event’s founders.
For those who are not cycling or who want to be entertained after they cycle, there will be a street fayre, Pimms tent, a bustling BBQ, great ice cream and live music from the HUMS Big Band. Visit www.bromswoldbikefest.org to register or learn more about the fun-filled day.
The lowdown on Oscar and Teddy
Oscar, age 13, was born with hydrocephalus causing significant brain damage and subsequent disabilities. Oscar is a wheelchair user, severely sight impaired and has learning disabilities. He also suffers from other medical conditions such as epilepsy and cerebral palsy. Oscar’s hydrocephalus is managed by a shunt, which is a tiny valve that drains the fluid from his brain into his tummy. He has needed several brain operations over the years to revise his shunt.
Teddy is three and has an undiagnosed genetic condition and severe development delay. He caught meningitis at 12 days old and ended up on life support for a week. At six months old, he was diagnosed with hydrocephalus and although it is unclear if it was a result of the meningitis or the undiagnosed genetic condition, he had immediate brain surgery to fit a shunt.
