Lucas was here....

b0y1nterupted

Firstly thank you for reading

Secondly mods if i've posted in the wrong section etc sorry & feel free to move

Thirdly its not me who is doing this but someone off another forum for a band i love & the story touched home

http://www.lucaswashere.com

This is Lucas




On December 8th 2008 Lucas died of a disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Lucas' Uncle and his friend are going to cycle over 1000 miles from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam to raise awareness and money for the charity 'The Jennifer Trust' who help families come to terms with, and understand the terminal illness that is usually unknown to people until they're affected by it.

Please take some time to read the website and really understand the cause, and hopefully persuade you to help out by sponsoring the expedition.

Thank you once again for reading & any help you can give.

Phillip

stevenmh

Sorry to hear about little Lucas.

Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, putting up posters of Lucas along the way

I looked at the site and am still a but confused why Vietnam. A great place for an holiday and sure to be a great ride, but placing posters along the way? Is the disease more common in Vietnam? What will the posters say?

b0y1nterupted

hi Steven,

thank you for reading,

there are two reasons for Vietnam,

firstly as its a country they have always wanted to visit

secondly its something a little different from lejog or across america & a huge challenge because of the heat & humidity

tbh i'm not sure as to posters & the disease being more common etc i think its about raising awareness in a different way to the norm, but i will find out & get back to you on this

thank you again

Phillip

stevenmh

sure Philip.

I just find it strange why they are travelling half way around the world (which costs money - that could have been contributed towards their cause - they are asking people to donate) and then sticking posters up in a foreign country, about a disease that you are not even sure is a major problem in that country, and one where literacy is not a forte especially out of the major cities.

deal

Phillip can you confirm that no donations are being used to cover trip related expenses? I have in the past donated to something similar only to later find out that the majority of donations did not go to charity, Instread were used to pay for what was in effect a free holiday for the person involved.

crookles

deal wrote:

Phillip can you confirm that no donations are being used to cover trip related expenses? I have in the past donated to something similar only to later find out that the majority of donations did not go to charity, Instread were used to pay for what was in effect a free holiday for the person involved.

I am Anthony Crook, this is my creation, and I, with my friend Danielle are doing this ride.

it seems that you have some preconceptions and misunderstandings about this ride.
hopefully i can clear up any doubts that you have.

If you have read the about section on the website it explains why we are doing this and what the idea behind the images/poster is.

Vietnam, is hardly the norm place to cycle, and i somewhere that i have always wanted to go. hence the ride being there. secondly, the company i work for have an office in Bangkok and i will be wroking from there after the ride has finished.

The pictures we are putting, comes from a conversation i had with my sister during Lucas' short life - she was upset that he would never go out into the world (i had just got back from India at the time) hence putting up posters along the journey and sending the pictures onto the website for my sister to see. This part of the ride is for me and my sister.... if anyone else finds it interesting great.... if it raises more awareness of the website/cause great....but ultimately it is as a cathartic aid for her to grieve.

I can assure you right now, at no point does any of the donation money go into the travel/administration of this ride…that is all from other charitable company donations and my own pocket.
Yes this money can go into the pot – but then we don’t have a ride, nor an angle to attract people to the cause. It is a fact of life I’m afraid – I have work VERY long hours creating this and even this conversation with you means that one more person is aware of SMA and the huge hole it can leave in your life at the most unexpected moment.

I would love your support on this so even if you post elsewhere that will help the cause.

Thank you
Anthony

deal

Hi Anthony

I didnt mean to cause any offence and was not making any accusations I just wanted to be clear about the destination of any donation I make. If you have found companies willing to contribute part of the costs good on them and good for you too. I have no issue with this as im sure they were aware that there donations were used for this purpose. Thankyou for the clarification, i will be sure to make a donation.

Btw and it seems your right about a lack of awareness of SMA. I asked my partner, a nurse, if she had heard of it and the answer was no - the same goes for the majority of her colleagues.