Published on 1.5.09

Dr Steve Fabes departs from London on the 5th of January 2010 on an epic solo journey around the world. He sets out to travel the length of all six permanently inhabited continents, crossing the greatest land masses on earth… all by bicycle. The journey is projected to take a whopping 4 and a half years during which he will travel through around 50 countries and cover some 80,000 km (50,000 miles) - a distance equivalent to twice the circumference of the earth and over 80 times the length of Great Britain.

Steve will trace a route through regions affected by the neglected tropical diseases and will witness firsthand their effect on local populations. These are 14 largely ancient infectious diseases grouped together by the World Health Organisation. Once widely dispersed, they now thrive in impoverished settings, especially in the heat and humidity of tropical climates. All of these diseases cause severe disability and life-long impairments as well as an enormous economic burden for endemic countries. An estimated 1 billion people – one sixth of the world population – are infected with one or more of these diseases.

For more information on Steve's journey, visit his official site at: www.cyclingthe6.com