Bahraini athlete Fatima Altaie is set to cycle more than 1,000km in next year’s Tour de France Femmes, with the goal of raising £10,000 (BD5,097) for the UK-based blood cancer charity Cure Leukaemia.
The 32-year-old mother-of-one, a resident of Saar, has taken on the challenge to stand in solidarity with children battling blood cancer and their families.
Her efforts also align with September’s Blood Cancer Awareness Month, a global campaign dedicated to highlighting one of the world’s most prevalent and dangerous diseases.
Ms Altaie, who has been a science teacher in a private school for more than 10 years, said the challenge is her way of giving back to ‘something bigger than herself’ – to inspire hope, fund life-saving research and support families facing struggles ‘no child should ever have to endure’.
“I am someone who is always looking for the next adventure,” the cyclist who has taken part in Ironman 70.3 in both Bahrain and Salalah, told the GDN.
“The idea of competing in Tour de France Femmes came to me while I was browsing online, where I discovered a call for female cyclists from around the world to form a team.”
Cure Leukaemia (CL) is a major charity partner of the Tour de France Femmes.
“CL does incredible work in funding (blood cancer) research and treatment, and what stood out is that they’ve created this unique cycling challenge in France to raise both funds and awareness on a global stage. I felt it was the right cause to get behind and hopefully shine more light on.
“I submitted a form explaining my inspiration for wanting to compete, and in July, received a confirmation letter officially securing my place on the 2026 team.”
Ms Altaie highlighted the devastating impact of blood cancer and stressed the need for more attention to the disease globally.
“I often think about my own five-year-old and imagine what it would be like if this happened to our family,” she said, reflecting on the struggles faced by children diagnosed with leukaemia.
“These children are not able to play or live like others their age, and if I can do even a small act to support the families going through such a horrendous time, I would be honoured.”
While the details of the 2026 edition are yet to be revealed, this year’s race covered a 1,200km route with an elevation gain of more than 17,000m.
She explained that 26 amateur cyclists from across the globe have been selected, with each one of them required to be in top physical condition to take on the challenge. And Ms Altaie is training with a coach to gradually build volume in her body.
“It is not about how fast I finish, but about completing the entire distance,” she explained.
“To achieve this, we start with basic, foundational training and from the start of the new year, we will increase volume each month, leading up to the race in August.”
She revealed that she started cycling after giving birth to cope with postpartum depression. It was her husband, Steve Graham, who noticed ‘a shift in her personality’ and encouraged her to try a new sport to support her mental well-being.
“I have been running for around 10 years, but it was cycling that truly saved my mental health and gave me a tool to cope,” she said.
“It is important to speak openly about such challenges faced by women, as they are not talked about enough in my culture.”
Ms Altaie is now encouraging all women to embrace every opportunity that comes their way and not to limit themselves.
“We need to inspire our children and do our part to spread positivity and awareness,” she noted.
The Tour de France Femmes, part of the UCI Women’s World Tour’, will take place from August 1-9, 2026. It is an annual, multi-stage professional road cycling race for women in France, and features elite female cyclists competing over multiple stages of varying terrain – from flat sprints to challenging mountain climbs. The winner earns the iconic yellow jersey.
Globally more than one million people receive a blood cancer diagnosis every year, and around 40,000 in the UK.
Set up in 2003, Cure Leukaemia has been able to expand and offer potential life-saving treatment to patients across the UK. Its Trials Acceleration Programme allows a catchment area of more than 20,000,000 patients to be connected with world-class and potentially life-saving treatments that would otherwise not be available to them through standard care.
To donate, visit the link in @fatimaaltaie bio or visit cureleukaemia.co.uk.
julia@gdnmedia.bh
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