We are cousins Chris and Phil, celebrating a turn of decade with our first ever, very challenging 10-day long distance multi-day 200km mountain trek around the Massif des Ecrins in the French Alps. With a grueling average of 1,200m of up and down every day. Imagine climbing Ben Nevis every day with your rucksack - except it's harder because every day we're also going 20km - 8km further.
When do we start?
1st Sept for 10 days
Which charities are we helping?
We are raising money to help kids and adults fight horrific brain tumours. The funds we raise will go 50%/50% to the Brain Tumour Charity and Brainstrust.
Read more below.
Listen to my Radio Interview
Follow Us on the Trek
Access password provided to donors! Tracking begins when we start walking on 1st September. Please donate below.
Why are we hiking 200km for Brain Tumours?
Chris' father-in-law John Lee died of a brain tumour nearly 10 years ago. He's missed every day by family and friends. My dear friend Peter Penny lost his wife Glenys to one too. They had good long lives. But our motivation for raising funds for these charities now is because a courageous boy Chris knows, Kaiden is friends with Ravi - both are fighting their tumours. Both boys were in a choir for Ravi's Dream on Britain's Got Talent. More about Ravi's Dream below. We're doing our fundraiser towards his total to continue to bring awareness and hopefully help all those suffering tumours now and help find more effective cures in the near future.
The brain tumours really impact everyone in the family, because parents often have to quit their regular work to be there for their kids or they have many additional expenses from travelling/staying at hospitals and if lucky, trying experimental drugs.
How many are affected by tumours?
- 33 people are diagnosed every day with a primary brain tumour
- This includes 500 young people
- 88,000 people living with tumours in the UK at the moment
How will your donations help?
- £20/month pays for 2 days of world class research every year
- £25 pays for a specialist nurse for an hour
- £40 provides a support toolkit for newly diagnosed parents
- £100 provides referral resources for 10 GPs
- £250 covers a day of research to further understand brain tumours
Are we training?
Yes, yes, yes! Both of us are hitting the hills as much as possible to condition our hearts, minds and legs. But we don't live near huge mountains. So instead we're doing a mix of 20mile hikes with 600m of up/down and gym work (HIIT and incline treadmill). But we know it's going to hurt and the most important thing is not getting injuries to our feet/ankles/knees.
Eager to see photos of the training and hike progress?
We'll be posting on Chris' Facebook page where he shares his various hikes and training.
About Ravi's dream ********
Ravi Adelekan has A Million Dreams. But, at the age of six, his dreams were interrupted by the news that he had a benign tumour in his brain stem. Despite 10 hours of surgery, doctors were not able to remove the whole tumour, and Ravi lives with its effects every day.
After learning to walk and feed himself again, and determined to return to his passions of music, maths and sport, Ravi lives his life to the max with bravery, fun and inspirational strength.
Ravi’s dream is to have a future where tumours like his could be treated without the type of major surgery he went through.
He would also love for the incredible medical care and support he received at King’s College London to be available everywhere.
Marking the first anniversary of Ravi’s brain surgery, a stellar cast of internationally acclaimed musicians and celebrities gathered in Ravi’s name to record a charity music video raising money for children with brain tumours.
The video for Ravi & Friends’ cover version of 'A Million Dreams' from The Greatest Showman features Ravi, as well as Coldplay, Bastille, Damon Albarn, Paloma Faith, Mary Berry, Björn Ulvaeus (ABBA), Heather Watson, and many, many more. All coming together to raise funds for The Brain Tumour Charity and brainstrust.
Since the launch of the Ravi’s Dream campaign, Ravi has also hosted events at Soho House and The House of Commons, as well as a star studded Charity Football Match.
In June 2023 Ravi won gold at the More Radio Child of Sussex Awards and continues to receive well earned recognition from near and far for his amazing fundraising efforts.
Due to his bravery, determination and incredible positivity the Daily Mirror named Ravi as the Pride of Britain Child of Courage.
In Spring 2024, Ravi brought together 50 of the community who have supported him since his diagnosis, to appear on Britains Got Talent. The group included medical professionals, family, friends and teachers from school and other children from the brain tumour community. They received the golden buzzer from Alesha Dixon, taking them straight to the semi-finals, where they came third.
All the funds raised through your donations will be split evenly between The Brain Tumour Charity and brainstrust, who have done so much to help Ravi and his family through such a challenging time.
Please give generously to help Ravi's Dream come true.