David Pedals to Paris for Adam

Across the next four days, our long-time supporter and hospital Dad David will cycle over 300 miles from London to Paris.

In this epic challenge, David is helping to raise vital funds for Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity. Read on to find out more about his phenomenal challenge and how you can support him.

The Route

David begins his journey in London and will cover a colossal 86 miles on Day 1 from Kent to Dover. Along with a large team of cyclists representing a host of different charities, he will then cross the Channel by ferry and spend Day 2 and 3 passing through the small villages of Northern France.

A spectacular finish awaits him on Day Four as he’ll reach ‘la pièce de résistance’, the Eiffel Tower, which marks the finish line! David told us that he has been training for several months now and is excited to start, hoping to meet his fundraising target of over £1,600.

Day 1 - London to Calais (cycling distance 86 miles)

Day 2 - Calais to Arras (cycling distance 77 miles)

Day 3 - Arras to Compiegne (cycling distance 75 miles)

Day 4 - Compiegne to Paris (cycling distance 70 miles)

David’s Motivation

David has dedicated many years of his life to supporting our charity, successfully raising tens of thousands through extreme fundraising challenges like climbing Mont Blanc in 2018 and taking on a 60km Arctic Trek in 2020.

David’s commitment to raising funds for the charity comes from the time his young son Adam spent at the children’s hospital in his early years.

5-year-old Adam was born with a rare condition called Bilateral Sturge-Weber Syndrome. It causes Adam to have an extra layer of red blood cells over his brain, leaving him with a birthmark and meaning his brain is unable to develop in the same way it can for others. Unfortunately, David explains that there is no known cure.

Despite the difficulties he and his family have faced, David is unwavering in his fundraising efforts and remains motivated to making a positive difference to the lives of young people treated at Scotland’s largest children's hospital.

My main motivation is to give back to the charity as a thank you for the amazing care and support we have received.

Dad David

How you help

For the last 20 years, thanks to your generous donations, we have been there to support families like David’s when the lights go down after another difficult day in hospital. We fund a range of life-changing projects and support services to provide practical help and emotional support to children and families, including our charity-funded Play and Events Programme, the MediCinema, our Family Support Service, and the Office for Rare Conditions.

The Play Team were a huge help to us when Adam was in hospital as they could keep Adam’s sisters happy and distracted when he was going through procedures, which also helped take pressure off myself and Louise (David’s wife).

Dad David

Support David

If you want to support David on his London to Paris Cycle Challenge, follow the link to his JustGiving page here.

You can also follow his progress on his Instagram page @gchc_london_to_paris. Keep an eye on our social channels this week too as we’ll be posting updates on David’s progress.

Best of luck David – À bientôt à Paris!