Pedal power raises £3,000 for Sarah and her Dame Hannah's friends

Dame Hannah`s supporter Mike Phillips has just completed a sponsored bike ride from

On Easter Saturday Mike and his team of twelve cyclists called `The French Connection` set off from London and five days later cycled through the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Mike first heard about Sarah and the Dame Hannah Rogers Trust when he started working with Sarah`s mother and heard many inspiring stories about Sarah and her friends.

As he set off Mike said "It is a very long way on a bike! Well over two hundred miles I believe which for me may be well over two hundred miles worth of pain. But I am delighted to be raising funds for such an amazing organisation and such an inspiring young lady. To say Sarah has triumphed over enormous obstacles, and fought long and hard to make the very best of her situation is a total understatement. It`s a privilege to know Sarah and her family and I am determined to make this ride worthwhile. I hope anyone reading this will feel the urge to contribute - just go to the Just Giving website www.justgiving.com/FrenchConnectionDameHannahRogersTrust   - and every penny you donate will go straight to the Dame Hannah Rogers Trust. Its quick and easy - and a lot less painful than pumping pedals!"

When Sarah was born doctors told her parents that she was unlikely to survive beyond infancy and that if she did live she would be profoundly handicapped with little quality of life. The doctors did not realise how brave and determined their young patient was and Sarah has confounded everyone with her fight to not only survive but to learn to walk, to talk, to live independently and even to learn to ride a bike! Sarahs parents Sue and Stuart attribute her miraculous progress to her own absolute determination, coupled with amazing support from teachers and carers at the Dame Hannah Rogers Trust.

Sue Tibbitts said, "Sarah`s journey has been hard and long; she has faced so many setbacks, dealt with all the problems her condition brings, such as sever epilepsy, difficulty in communicating, physical disabilities &she has never given up and is constantly surprising us with her determination to succeed."