In the saddle for our Mizen to Malin Cycle

A group of 18 intrepid cyclists are taking on a 480 mile cycle from the bottom to the top of Ireland in a bid to raise vital funds for the charity.

The group, which includes doctors, staff and patients from the Cancer Centre at Belfast City Hospital, are taking part in our Mizen to Malin Challenge which will see them cycle the length of Ireland in just 6 days.  The expedition will start in Mizen Head, Cork on 3rd September from whence the group will cycle along Ireland’s stunning west coast to the finish line in Malin Head, Donegal on 8th September.   To complete the challenge in time, the group will have to average approximately 80 miles a day and contend with steep inclines and of course Ireland’s unpredictable weather.  While many of the group are seasoned cyclists with several long distance endurance challenges to their name, others have just taken up cycling this year and this will be the first cycling event that they have taken part in.

Dr Seamus McAleer, consultant oncologist at the Cancer Centre at Belfast City Hospital is leading the charge and having already organised and taken part in six cycles in aid of Friends of the Cancer Centre over the last 16 years and raising nearly £200,000 along the way, he knows what’s in store for the group.  Looking ahead to the new challenge he said:

“The Mizen to Malin Challenge will be my 7th cycling event in aid of Friends of the Cancer Centre and since the last one was back in 2014, I’m really looking forward to getting back in the saddle, getting on the road and raising money for the charity.  We have such a great group taking part and while it will be a tough 6 days, I know we will all keep each other going.

“As fun and exciting as the cycle will be, we can’t lose sight of why we are doing this.  Working in the Cancer Centre, I see hundreds of patients and I see the devastating effect cancer has on their lives and their family.  There is light however, and the Cancer Centre is one of the best facilities in the world with some of the brightest minds in clinical care and research.  We’re also very lucky to have Friends of the Cancer Centre, as the charity’s life-saving and life-changing work makes a huge impact on the work that we do and the lives of patients.  To be able to help support this work is really important to me and all those getting on their bikes in September, and this will certainly give us the drive and motivation to cross that finish line in Donegal.”

Keep up to date with our cyclists progress here and on our Facebook page.