Rob Banyard powers to Paris and helps to raise £800,000
Published on 13 Jun 2018
On Friday 8 June, Rob Banyard – Research Director at The Planning Shop – embarked on a gruelling bike ride from London to Paris as part of the DMD Dash.
The DMD Dash is charity bike ride hosted by Duchenne UK – a charity set-up to raise money to support research and the patients, parents and carers who are affected by Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD).
DMD is the most common fatal genetic disease diagnosed in childhood. The disease almost always affects boys, and they tend to be diagnosed before the age of five. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is classified as a rare disease. There are around 2,500 patients in the UK and an estimated 300,000 sufferers worldwide.
Children born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy have a fault, known as a mutation, on their dystrophin gene, the longest gene in the body. The fault means that they cannot produce dystrophin, a protein that is vital for muscle strength and function. This lack of dystrophin results in a progressive deterioration of muscle strength and function.
Rob was one of 160 cyclists who took part in the 312km ‘Dash’, setting off from London on Friday, with an overnight ferry to Dieppe, and finishing in Paris on Saturday afternoon.
Rob cycled for about six hours on day one, and another nine hours on day two after two hours sleep on the overnight ferry, and said it was a lot of hard work in the hot weather, but the sun-burnt face was worth it!
The charity is extremely pleased with this year’s bike ride, the participants and the amount of money that has been raised – about £800k and counting! Duchenne UK said on Twitter:
“We made it! 160 cyclists 300km Over £800k raised!!! Thank you so much to everyone involved.”
At The Planning Shop, we’re very proud of Rob’s achievements. Not only did he train hard, and complete the route, but he also managed to raise over £1,800 to support the charity. (Oh… and he also managed to cycle into work on Monday despite the 325km he’d already cycled at the weekend!)
Adelphi (the parent company of The Planning Shop) paid Rob’s entry fee to the race and will match the final sum of money that Rob raises and donate it to Duchenne UK.
Monies that Duchenne UK raise as part of any charitable activity are used to fund research into DMD. Read more about Duchenne UK’s research focus here.
A final word from Rob about his amazing experience:
“The people involved in Duchenne UK are some of the most impassioned and determined people I have ever met and they will end this terrible disease. I had the pleasure of sitting next to one of the leading research scientists in the UK at dinner and he believes the research is on the brink of a breakthrough. The money raised makes a huge difference with Duchenne UK funding additional research, extending clinical trials and offering support to families which otherwise would not be possible. I am so glad to have been a part of this event.’