KidsCan

Thanks to everyone who has got in touch via the website or e-mail. We’ve actually filled all our Manchester Marathon places now! We are still able to get more so don’t worry if you were about to register. There is still plenty of time to register. We have plenty of places still available for The Great Manchester Run – The most popular 10Km run in Europe. Why not grab a few friends, maybe a couple of inventive costumes and help raise vital funds for our unique research into childhood cancers. Thanks again for letting me post. Have a great weekend.

Hello Everyone! After the success of London 2012, we’re hoping you’re all up for pulling on your trainers and hitting the streets to get fit and help raise hundreds of pounds for KidsCan’s vital childhood cancer research. As we’re all in the North West these challenges would be a lot more accessible than the Great North Run! We always have places in the Great Manchester Run (10Km) – 26th May or if you’re feeling brave there’s always the Greater Manchester Marathon (28th April)! As with all our major runs, Great North Run, Great Manchester Run and Greater Manchester Marathon, we don’t even charge people to take part! Instead we ask for a post-dated £60 deposit cheque which is not cashed or banked. We ask for it to cover the cost of your place if you cannot run, as places are non-transferrable. There are minimum sponsorship targets for the runs but we do supply you with A KidsCan running vest, to run and train in Personalized Sponsor Forms A JustGiving.com sponsor website If you think you will be interested in taking part any of these runs, please get in touch!

Did you know December is Children’s Cancer Awareness Month? KidsCan is encouraging all of its supporters around the country to “Get Purple” and do something amazing to help raise vital funds for childhood cancer research. By taking part in The Macc Monster, and our other great challenge events throughout the year, you are helping to make sure our vital research can continue. Research like this: - We have identified a new class of drug that allows the healthy cells to take charge of cancerous cells thus stopping them developing into tumours in what could provide a new approach to treating early-stage cancers. It is a molecule that can open up communication channels on the surface of cells that then enables healthy cells to 'talk' to the cancer cells. This allows the healthy cells to regain control of the cancer cells, effectively turning the cancer cells back into normal cells. These amazing pieces of research can only continue with your support.

Another scientific update! When cancers form they create their own blood vessels to get oxygen. Unlike our normal blood vessels they are very weak and different. We have an anti cancer agent that can kill the blood vessels to a tumour! Essentially this means that if we can kill the blood vessels, the tumour will shrink and possibly die which means that it can be hopefully easily removed. However, it is too toxic on the child’s heart at the moment so we are looking at ways to reduce this. By raising sponsorship when you take part in The Macc Monster, you can ensure that our vital childhood cancer research can continue.

As the Macc Monster is a cycle sportive in aid of KidsCan, I thought I would give you a bit of extra information on Cancer and the treatments that participants will be helping to fund through their sponsorship. Every day the body makes cells that could be cancer cells. The body can recognise some not all of them as not normal and our own body’s immune system is clever enough to detect them and destroy them. We are currently researching ways of training the immune system to detect all abnormal cells and have our own immune system destroy them. More information coming soon! If you have any questions about KidsCan or about The Macc Monster, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

The Macc Monster Returns! – 13/04/13 After it was postponed in September 2012 due to severely adverse weather conditions – the wettest September for 30 years in fact – we are happy to announce that The Macc Monster will be back on Saturday 13th April 2013! Get your bike out of the garage and get peddling to raise vital funds for KidsCan’s childhood cancer research! Taking place in the Peak District around the Macclesfield area, riders will take in amazing scenery and highs and lows of the stunning countryside. Covering 100 kilometres, the ride features very little flat land, with a number of challenging climbs. In fact, you'll complete around 7000 feet of climbing over the entire course! The route has been organised to avoid A-roads as much as possible, and all parts of the course will be signposted along the way. Just by participating you'll be helping to raise funds for KidsCan’s Childhood Cancer Research. We are extremely grateful to the fantastic team at BiG Storage on Fence Avenue in Macclesfield. They have kindly allowed the cycle to start and finish at their premises. This is great news as the venue is perfect for our cyclists. It features off road parking, toilets and changing facilities. Also, it has plenty of room for our catering wagon so all those taking part are able to have some hot food and a drink after peddling round the hills of the Peak District for several hours! The website for The Macc Monster is undergoing updates at present but if you would like to sign up, please visit www.MaccMonster.co.uk today! You can also follow The Macc Monster on Twitter http://twitter.com/MaccMonster

Hope you don’t mind a quick bump for this thread! It’s not long to go until The Macc Monster, but first is The Great North Run! This Sunday 56,000 people will be taking to the streets of the north east and if you’re one of them we’d like to wish you good luck and hope you have a fantastic time, whoever you’re running for. We offer our runners a FREE place in the Great North Run so if you are looking for a new challenge next year please think about us! In the meantime, I hope those of you who will be cycling with us on the 30th have got your bikes (and legs) in full working order – you’ll need to if you’re going to contend with 7,000ft of climbing! Hope to see you there!

Hi Everyone I've been asked on another forum to give a breakdown for our charity sportives and show how we are different from a commercial sportive. Both The Macc Monster and PEAK 100 are both organised and run by KidsCan Children's Cancer Resarch Centre. We organise and benefit from both. They are not commercial sportives. We try to make them as cost effective as possible by seeking sponsorship for the energy products etc and for the feed stations. All registration fee (aside from PayPal's deduction) come straight to the charity. Naturally there are some costs - signage, insurance, food, energy products, travel and catering wagon - but we attempt to keep these as low as possible in order to maximise the success of the sportive. We always offer our participants the chance to support KidsCan futher by raising sponsorship for their ride. As we are trying to make it as accessible as possible by keeping the registration cost down, we encourage riders to raise sponsorship. As our rides are both challenging 100km cycles with a lot of classified climbs we hope people will be willing to support us in this way. If you would like any more information on the vital research KidsCan are performing please visit our website or contact us on 0161 295 3864 or e-mail info@kidscan.org.uk Hope to see you at The Macc Monster or PEAK 100!

If you are on Twitter and want to keep up to date with all of KidsCan’s challenges you can join us by following @KidsCan_UK Both of our cycle sportives have a dedicated Twitter Feed too - @MaccMonster for Macc Monster and @PEAK_100 for our April Sportive Thank you for your support!

Thanks to everyone who has signed up so far. We're in double figures but we've got a long way to go yet! The good news for those of you coming from further afield is that there will be plenty of parking available if you're coming by car. If you're comnig via train, the start point is 2km from the station which is a bonus for anyone wanting a rest after cycling 100km!

The official Macc Monster website is up and running! Take a look around! www.maccmonster.co.uk

The Macc Monster - Sunday 30th September The end of season cycle sportive in aid of KidsCan returns! It’s time to put The Macc Monster in your calendar – Sunday 30th September! As ever we ask The Macc Monster is only £20 to take part. Proceeds from the cycle will go towards funding KidsCan’s vital research into childhood cancers. The start/finish point is now at Hurdsfield Primary School and Children’s Centre. Take a look at the route on BikeRouteToaster - http://bikeroutetoas...x?course=436297 It’s very close to our old start point so the route hasn’t been altered that much. The route is still 100 kilometres around the Peak District with very little flat land, with a number of challenging climbs. The route takes in the counties of Derbyshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire as you experience climbs totalling over 7000ft! Rest assured, your reward for completing the event awaits you in the catering van! The Macc Monster website is undergoing a bit of redecorating at the moment but you can still sign up by visiting http://tinyurl.com/MaccMonster If you have any questions about the event, please get in touch

Hi all, Last bump for this one and then the mods can delete it on Sunday! KidsCan still have their few places remaining for the Great North Run! The deadline to sign up is THIS FRIDAY - 29th June! If you would still like to take part, please call us today - 0161 295 3864 or e-mail chris@kidscan.org.uk Remember, there is no charge to take part in the Great North Run for KidsCan! Please get in touch. Thank you! The KidsCan Team

**BREAKING NEWS** If you get tickets to Can Can 4 KidsCan you will be entered into a draw to meet Loveable Rogues or I Am Tich! 30 lucky people will win this unique chance to meet either artist! You need to buy your tickets BEFORE THE DAY to be entered into the draw! Get your tickets now! www.cancan4kidscan.org.uk/sign-up

Extra Attraction Added At Can Can 4 KidsCan! Hi Everyone! Great news. Becky Gregory who carried the Olympic Torch through Salford will be coming to Can Can 4 KidsCan so people can get their photo taken with the torch! Don't miss out on this unique opportunity! Get your tickets to see Loveable Rogues, I Am Tich, The Majestix and The Rocks by visiting www.cancan4kidscan.org.uk/sign-up Thanks again! The KidsCan Team