Dear donors, colleagues, friends and family,

Last day of the Tour Duchenne from Phillip Island (Cowes) to Melbourne.

Exciting, entertaining and emotional.

We were all really looking forward to this day, the final day of an epic adventure. 25 sensitive and sore cyclists saddled up for the ‘easy’ 95Km ride with showers clearing, sunshine peeking, and finally a tail wind as we headed north for home riding on adrenalin and reflecting on a tough tour, a massive fundraising campaign, and heightened awareness of muscular dystrophy.

As we rolled up Flemington Rd to the Royal Children’s Hospital, the fathers of the boys with MD took the front and crossed the finish line with the wonderful cheers of many families and friends.

Thank you all for your support, donations and enthusiasm. We all achieved something special over the past 10 days.

Day 10 Statistics:

Temperature: 22, showers clearly to sunshine

Falls: 2 (1 flip and 1 jack knife – both ok, except ego)

Flat tyres: 4

Distance: 95km

Average: 24 km/h

Road kill: 1 (fox)

Player comfort (0 awful to 10 delightful): 10

Saddle sore index: Manageable with the end in sight!

Kind regards

Dear donors, colleagues, friends and family,

The day we will never forget.

The most difficult day of cycling for each and everyone of us. Even the ladies said it was worse than child birth!

From Yarram to Phillip Island looked challenging but nothing like yesterday. We rolled out under dark clouds and a very stiff head wind at 7am. The head wind strengthened to 50-60km/hour and stayed with us for 7 hours (some for 9 hours) to cover the 155km. Rain started at 40km and pierced our faces as we battled to stay upright along the Bass Straight coastline. Everyone was hurting, everyone was getting flat tyres and everyone was freezing.

But who’s complaining…we’re almost home.

Day 9 Statistics:

Temperature: 16, gusting winds and rain and hail

Falls: 6 (minor)

Flat tyres: 14

Distance: 155km

Average: 22 km/h

Road kill: 10 (4 kangaroo, 1 koala, 5 other……)

Player comfort (0 awful to 10 delightful): 0.1

Saddle sore index: Unfairly high

Manly Beach

Take a walk along the Esplanade at Sydney’s famous Manly Beach and help raise funds for research into Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Continue reading →

Dr Josh Burns, researcher at INMR (The Children’s Hospital Westmead) is riding the Tour Duchenne. Continue reading →

A wonderful night at the Cargo Bar in Darling Harbour launched the Tour Duchenne. Event organiser Julian Thompson and hundreds of family and friends celebrated over $600,000 committed so far to supporting the INMR (Institute of Neuromuscular Research) in Sydney and NMDRC (National Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre) in Melbourne research a cure for muscular dystrophy. 25 cyclists, including Tom Williams and Julian will ride from Sydney to Melbourne, leaving The Children’s Hospital Westmead on Saturday morning (7 March) accompanied by the NSW Premier and Federal Member Tony Abbott.  MDF wishes the riders a safe and successful trip.

Anthony & Jenny Bucco with MDNSW Staff

Don’t miss Domestic Blitz on Sunday night, 8 March at 6.30pm. Anthony and Jenny Bucco and their family (members of Muscular Dystrophy NSW) were given a makeover by Domestic Blitz . Tune in for their story.

Caption

In November last year nearly 3,000 collection boxes were sent out to cafes, pharmacies and food outlets. With only 15% of boxes returned nearly $20,000 has been banked. Funds collected will be used to support client services by MD associations in the state in which funds were collected.