A tired yet happy group of cyclists and their support team received a warm welcome as they returned to Malta on Saturday, after successfully completing the demanding 2024 LifeCycle Challenge, a 2,000-kilometer trek from Botswana to the Cape of Good Hope. Family members, friends, and supporters who had been cheering them on from the start were present at the Malta International Airport to celebrate their return.
The LifeCycle Challenge kicked off on October 28th in Gaborone, spanning ten intense days of cycling through varying terrains and climates across Botswana and South Africa. This year's challenge proved exceptionally testing, with the team facing diverse weather conditions - from the searing over 40° Celsius heat to biting cold and unpredictable bouts of wind and rain.
Alan Curry, founder and chairman of LifeCycle Malta, commented on the group's return home: "The courage and resilience shown by our team continue to be a source of inspiration. Their determination and dedication not only highlight the physical endurance required to complete our challenge, but also support our fundraising efforts for kidney disease treatment and research. Despite the harsh conditions we faced during this year's LifeCycle, one reflection remains clear: the hardships we endured are nothing compared to the suffering of kidney disease patients, especially those undergoing dialysis."
The funds raised from this year's LifeCycle Challenge will be instrumental in advancing kidney disease research and offering essential support to kidney patients. Key among the funding recipients include the vital work conducted under the LifeCycle Kidney Research Programme, in collaboration with the University of Malta's Research Innovation and Development Trust (RIDT). Part of the funds will also sustain the operation of the Traccia software at Mater Dei Hospital's Renal Unit. This essential tool significantly improves the efficiency of kidney transplants by enhancing the accuracy of donor-recipient matches, increasing the success rates of transplants and extending graft survival.
For further information on how to support the LifeCycle Malta Foundation or to get involved in next year's challenge, please visit https://lifecyclefoundation.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/LifeCycleChallenge.
Donations to the LifeCycle (Malta) Foundation can be made via Revolut on 9932 9101, by PayPal on this link: https://buff.ly/35g17CC and via SMS: 5061 7370 for €2.33; 5061 8920 for €6.99; 5061 9229 for €11.65; or via a call to 5160 2020 for €10; 5170 2005 for €15; and 5180 2006 for €25.
Donations can be made also via bank transfers via Swift code VALLMTMT, IBAN MT 18 VALL 22013000000014814521017, with the Bank name being Bank of Valletta, and account number 14814521017.
The LifeCycle Foundation is registered with the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations - VO/0529