Georgie takes on the Virtual Velo for Good Hope Hospital charity
Georgie Lodge, a member of the British Army for 20 years, has taken on the incredible task of cycling 500 miles to raise money for Good Hope Hospital Charity. Her father is currently being looked after at the Hospital whilst receiving cancer treatment.
Georgie is taking part in Virtual Velo, a cycling challenge that gives you the chance to cycle either 500 miles (the distance from Birmingham to Hamburg) or 1,000 miles (the distance from Birmingham to Rome). Taking place over the summer you get a chance to clock up your miles at your own leisure whilst raising money via donations to support patients and their families at the Good Hope Hospital, Solihull Hospital, Heartlands Hospital and Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.
Sadly, in early 2018 Georgie’s father received the news that his cancer had returned during his routine checkup, and that it was more aggressive than it had previously been. Her father is currently receiving immunotherapy treatment at Good Hope Hospital and is on his fifth round of cancer treatment.
Georgie said: “When my Dad was initially diagnosed I knew I had to take life by the horns and make the most of every day. I decided to learn to ride a road bike. It was daunting, and the prospect of not being very good scared me as the military makes you believe you can do anything. On a recent visit to Good Hope Hospital I saw a poster for Virtual Velo and made the decision to take part; to give back to the hospital and their staff that had treated my Dad and made us feel better when we were on a low day”
Despite her uncertainties Georgie has so far completed well over 228 miles (approximately the distance from Birmingham to just off the Norfolk coast) and raised over £120 since starting on 24 June!
Laura Power, Fundraising Manager at Good Hope Hospital Charity said: “Thank you so much to Georgie, she has gone ‘over and above’ to raise money to support the patients at Good Hope Hospital, learning to ride a bike and complete a 500 mile target is an astonishing challenge and I wish her the best of luck!”
For more information about Virtual Velo and how to sign up, please visit https://www.virtualvelo.org/ and for more information about the charity and how it supports cancer patients please visit https://www.hospitalcharity.org/news
