Bikers show support for Mia

HUNDREDS of bikers joined together to ride through a Valleys town to show solidarity to a little girl fighting cancer over the weekend.

Mia Chambers, from Merthyr Tydfil, was diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive form of the disease last year.

Earlier this year a campaign was launched to raise enough money to send the five-year-old to the USA to give her vital treatment for her aggressive form of cancer.

A number of fundraisers have been held, including a campaign encouraging people to wear rainbow-coloured bows and to add temporary Facebook profile pictures.

But the fundraising has now been stepped up a gear, as the most recent event saw hundreds of bikers make their way to Merthyr Tydfil to ride through the town centre.

Mia’s dad Josh said: “It was amazing. We were only expecting around 20 to 30 bikes, but over 160 bikers turned up. Some of them travelled over 150 miles. It was organised by Wesley Beynon and Marrie Presser and the event advertising flyers were made and donated by Tom Coats from AJ Print. A total of £1,242 was raised.”

Among the procession of bikers was Cardiff’s famous Elmo rider, who dresses up as the character in a bid to make people smile.

The rider – who wants to keep their real identity under wraps – said: “I’ve recently put together a riding group called The Laughing Lunatics with people from in and around Cardiff. We now all dress up and ride around and do the same thing I was doing when I was on my own – but this group of riders are a bit special as we all suffer with some sort of demons.

“I have social anxiety and depression, but we also have riders with other forms of anxiety, bipolar etc. One of riders also had a cancer scare – so doing charity events means a lot to us.

“When we were told about Mia’s charity we had to go, and we met her at the ride – she is such a cutie. We’re glad the ride out was a big success for her. The day was amazing!”

Mia was diagnosed with high risk neuroblastoma in May last year, aged four. Since then she’s been through a multitude of aggressive treatment and procedures including three months of intensive chemotherapy, surgery, a stem cell transplant and radiotherapy.

Cancer experts say patients with neuroblastoma have a high rate of relapsing – and the survival rate for relapsed neuroblastoma is very low.

But ever the fighter, Mia even started back to school on Monday.

“Mia is doing great and started back at school,” her dad Josh said. “She’s full of energy and in great spirits.”

To donate go to www.justgiving. com/campaigns/charity/solvingkidscancer/miachambers