Michael Simmons

Cycling for a Cure: From London to Brighton, For My Dad 💙

In June 2026, I’ll be cycling from London to Brighton. Not just for the challenge, but for something much closer to home.

In 2021, my Dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, though, looking back, the signs had been creeping in for years. Today, he still lives in the same South London home he was raised in, the one we grew up in too. But life looks very different now. He’s lost significant muscle strength, struggles to walk unaided, and relies on carers three times a day and the enormous help of Mum. On top of that, he faces the daily toll of other brutal symptoms, such as tremors, sleep disturbances, stiffness, memory loss and cognitive changes that chip away at his independence.

But Dad isn’t going down without a fight and neither am I.

That’s why I’ve signed up for this challenge. To ride 55 miles from London to Brighton and raise money that could change the future of Parkinson’s forever.

I’m riding for Dad.

I’m riding for the 10 million people worldwide living with Parkinson’s.

And I’m riding for the hope that one day, families like ours won’t have to watch their loved ones slowly lose mobility, speech and independence.

This fundraiser supports Parkinson’s UK, the leading charity driving groundbreaking research and providing vital support to those affected. Every donation helps fund better treatments, deeper understanding - and one day a cure.

In the past few years alone, Parkinson’s research has taken incredible leaps forward—including the discovery of key biomarkers that could lead to earlier, more accurate diagnosis and more effective treatments. And here’s the kicker: this research doesn’t stop at Parkinson’s. Because neurodegenerative diseases share common pathways, these breakthroughs could also help accelerate progress toward cures for Alzheimer’s, Lewy body dementia, and more.

We are closer than we’ve ever been.

This isn’t just a ride - it’s a test of endurance.

The route is 55 miles of paved roads from South London to the Brighton seafront, with rolling countryside hills and one notorious climb: Ditchling Beacon. It’s a nearly mile-long ascent with a brutal gradient. Many cyclists end up walking their bikes part of the way. My personal goal? To cycle the whole of Ditchling Beacon without getting off the bike.

Most people take 6-8 hours to finish.

I’m training to complete it in 5.

Here’s how I’m preparing:

      •     Endurance training with regular rides of 15–30 miles

      •     Hill work, including South Downs routes

      •     3–5 rides per week, mixing long, medium, and recovery sessions

      •     Cross-training (leg strength + core) to build resilience

            •     Bike maintenance skills, because if something breaks mid-ride - I need to be able to fix it

Please support this ride if you can. Share. Donate. Cheer me on. Every mile I pedal is powered by your belief that we can do something about this.

Thank you, from my heart - and from our whole family.

Let’s get over the finish line together! 

Michael