Actavis Ltd managing director Patrick Cachia was presented with the official LifeCycle shirt in recognition of the pharmaceutical company’s main sponsorship of this year’s challenge.

“We are very excited and proud to be part of this initiative,” Mr Cachia said. “We believe there is a lot of value in supporting LifeCycle and the amazing work they do to help the Renal Unit and its patients to improve their health and quality of life.

“This is the first time we are supporting the challenge as a main sponsor but we hope the relationship is one that can continue into the future,” he added.

Moreover, Actavis is also encouraging its employees to support this initiative and contribute towards its noble cause.

LifeCycle Foundation founder Alan Curry said the €25,000 donated by the company made this year’s challenge possible.

Each participant has to raise a set sum of money before they are allowed to participate, which they do through a mixture of corporate sponsorships and fundraising events. These have to be organised in between several hours of training every day as well as home and work commitments.

By the time they leave in mid-August, the cyclists will have been doing eight hours of training a day in preparation for the average 200km they will have to do every day during the challenge.

This year, the 35 participants – cyclists and the back-up team – will be leaving Minsk in Belarus and cycing some 2,000km to St Petersburg, travelling through Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. The Actavis 2013 LifeCycle challenge is ranked one of the hardest endurance tests in the world.

The public can donate via SMS on 5061 7370 (€2.33), 5061 8920 (€6.99), 5061 9229 (€11.65) or on landlines 5160 2020 (€10), 5170 2005 (€15) and 5180 2006 (€25).