What a past couple of weeks it has been for me.. let me explain (ill try and keep it short).

I work freelance for myself doing television and film production assiting, anything basically atm to get my foot in. However work was slow so I looked into a documentary on Cardiff history, just to do something and put in my portfolio and CV.

Then however I was contacted by a family who has a small boy with Nemo disease which regulates the functions of the bodies immune systems (www.cure4rhys.org) and they told me about Rhys who has only a short time left and that they are trying to raise awareness and money to pay for a possible life changing operation by a top European doctor.

I sat down with them and discussed what they were doing and what I could do to help. They decided they would like someone to film a bicycle run from West Wales to Paris over a period of 8-9 days, a small documentary for memories, friends & families. I was touched and excited as you can imagine. However I dont have the equipment myself and would need to hire it, along with paying for insurance and tapes etc...

I am currently contacting production companies, television studios, UKFilm Council, Welsh Assembly Goverment for a form of grant, but so far to no avail. Discovery Channel are itching and pressurising the family for the rights to the operation (which imo is quite sick) but they would be interested in the bike run footage itself (yet they dont want to film it!)

The bike run is scheduled for the 1st of April and Im trying to raise around £10,000 to self fund this venture, with any leftovers going to the charity. So I'm now stuck in a dilemma, this is something I would like to do but cant!

The story of Rhys is being followed all over Wales currently, by all the local and national papers, BBC & HTV, the WRU and other companies.

Does anyone have any suggestions or any contacts (short of robbing a bank or gambling) they can offer?