A great big thank you and congratulations goes out to the team ‘Rule Number 5′ raising over $11,000 AUD for the PFO Research Foundation

Megan from the team has kindly written the following summary for our website.

What a challenge! An incredible experience and a great fundraiser for two great causes.

Guess what: we have a touch over $11 000 for the PFO Foundation!!!!!

I am absolutely blown away by the support we have had from Qld through to WA. The people of Broome and the wider Gibb Community are now definitely more aware of PFO, how it affects patients and how great life can be on the other side. Personally, there is no way I could have completed this challenge without the team at Sharpe Cardiology and am so, so grateful that I was encouraged by Ross and my mother, Marlene to have the surgery in December 2013.

The challenge was 700kms of corrugated, hilly, dusty road from Derby to El Questro Station. We completed the challenge as a relay team of 5- myself, Kyle, Cass, Hilary and Aaron. It was freezing cold for the first 2 nights and it reached 38 degrees during the day. We rode for approximately 10kms at a time, the first day 230kms the next three averaging 140kms, the final day was 50kms. A Gibb highlight was when we made it into the ‘Group B’ starting group. This meant that we were in the starting group each morning with the fastest teams on the Challenge!! There were 3 other groups behind us. We were rewarded with cool, creek crossings at the end of each day before we set up camp. We ate with 400 other riders, volunteers and supporters driving vehicles for their teams and our bathroom and toilet was either non-existent, from a bucket or until the last 2 days when we had communal bathrooms.

We slept in SKINS to help the legs recover each night, woke at the crack of dawn each day to pack up camp, ate dehydrated mangoes and raspberries for fuel and sang to each other to psych ourselves up before our next riding stint.We got flat tyres, bent derailleurs and had to modify the way we tied our bikes down because the road was so rough the bikes were bouncing out! The comradeship between teams- whether known to us or not, was incredible. The mateship between teammates unforgettable. The banter on the UHF radio making the long kilometres bearable. Overall, one of the best experiences I have ever had. We will be back.

We wore the PFO Logo on our jerseys and explained our charity to fellow Gibbers. It was announced to the crowd at Ellenbrae Station what PFO is and the aim behind the Foundation. It has been in the Broome Paper and spread over the internet via our Facebook Page. We are still wearing our jerseys on rides now, answering questions that come our way. We hope our donation to the PFO Foundation will aide research for future and current PFO patients. This foundation is one close to my ‘heart’ and both my family and I will continue to support in the years to come. We’d like to thank our major sponsors again- Charlie’s Service Centre Millmerran, Pool Wisdom Broome, Envisage Building Solutions Kunnanurra, Marlene Erbs Snr Millmerran, Broome Veterinary Clinic, Landmark Broome, Ross Sharpe and Family and Dan Traves and Family.

Also a great big thank you to Broome Air Services air dropped our Jerseys to Home Valley Station which was Day 4 of the challenge after Australia Post stuffed the delivery up! Pete from BAS did this out of kindness and we are incredibly grateful for his generosity. Thanks again BAS!

We are currently putting together our photos and creating a movie of GO PRO videos and photos which we will share with you once complete. For now- please see the Rule #5 Facebook page for an album of photos.

Fancy a short push bike ride out in the bush?

How about  a 700 km ride through the Northern reaches of West Australia, starting near Broome ?

That’s what Megan Erbs and four (4) other team members are doing from 17-21 May 2015. ‘Rule Number 5′ have kindly chosen to nominate PFO Research Foundation as their 2nd charity for the upcoming event. They are busy sizzling sausages, and selling merchandise and have so far raised over $3000.

The PFO Research Foundation is currently asking for donations to commence a pilot study using advanced Genomic/ Genetic testing to understand the relationships between a hole in the heart (PFO), migraine, stroke or other chronic diseases. A PFO is present in approximately 25% of the population, but not a lot is known about why some people suffer from it and others have happy healthy lives.

Megan had a PFO closure in December 2013 for frequent severe migraine with aura. Megan has always been a very fit individual but found she can now exercise harder and longer and most importantly is free of migraine for the first time in her life.

I now live a healthier and more energetic life not worrying about stroke or heart disease.  I have been headache and migraine free for 13 months. Since my PFO Closure I haven’t looked back.

For as long as I can remember I had suffered with headaches, migraines, dizziness and fatigue but did not believe that anything could possibly be wrong with my heart.  After all, I run half marathons, am a cycling fanatic, compete in Olympic distance triathlons and long distance swimming events, play touch football, netball and water ski.   I would flog myself throughout the week and go to bed most nights with a headache or migraine.  By the weekends I would spend the days sleeping to recover from the past week and prepare for the week ahead. 

The Gibb Challenge: a socially competitive 700 kilometre team relay event raising community awareness and money for charity. In 2015 our Principal Beneficiary is Kyle Andrews Foundation. – See more at: http://www.thegibbchallenge.com.au/

We wish Megan, Hillary, Cassandra, Kyle and Aaron from ‘Rule Number 5′ all the best for the fundraising and of course the ride.

If you would like to donate to the team, click here

If you would like to follow their adventures try their facebook page