Thanks for taking the time to visit our team's JustGiving page.

We are raising money in memory of Barbara Smith - our Wife, Mum, Sister, Nanny & friend, who sadly passed away on 3rd March 2015 after a very short illness. Despite numerous scans and tests, Barbara was diagnosed with a virus, which we all expected her to fully recover from. Unfortunately, Barbara suffered from what is thought to have been "acute on chronic liver failure", which today's medical experts were unable to diagnose or remedy. Barbara's symptoms worsened, with multiple organ failure developing suddenly and unexpectedly, and she died shortly after despite the fantastic care she received from the specialist unit at Kings College Hospital, London.

As a family, we are setting ourselves a series of challenges to raise money for additional research into liver disease. Approximately 80% of all liver disease is caused by alcohol abuse. These patients typically have warning signs and can be helped. However, the remaining 20% like Barbara, who develop liver disease from other causes is less well understood and need further research. We want to help this research and hopefully prevent other families experiencing the loss of someone so special, as we all are. 

So, our team has the physical challenge of crossing the English Channel's equivalent distances over the next 12 weeks;

• Gareth is swimming Dover to Calais ~22 miles
• Judith is walking Folkstone to Bologne ~31 miles
• Brian is walking Margate to Dunkirk ~50 miles
• Sarah is running Portsmouth to Le Havre ~111 miles
• Carol is cycling London to Paris ~213 miles
• Gill is walking Plymouth to Bordeaux ~400 miles
• Dave is cycling Bristol to Bordeaux ~500 miles

We thank you in advance for your support,
Barbara's family

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