Andy Duggan
C2C On & Off Road - UCAN
Fundraising for UCAN
Story
A group of 43 cyclists who work for BP will cycle from the west to the east coast of Scotland at the end of May. Riders will start in Ullapool and finish in Aberdeen. There will be an off-road and a road team. The total distance is a gruelling 220 miles over three days with many challenging hills to climb. Why are they doing this? Primarily to raise funds for three very deserving charities ( MND Scotland, UCAN and Butterfly FoRest) which rely on donations for their valuable and much needed work.
UCAN, the Urological Cancer Charity, is dedicated to raising awareness of urological cancers and improving support for people and families who are affected. They are achieving this through a centre of excellence based in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, raising awareness via health promotions throughout the north of Scotland, researching new technologies and treatments, and providing a top quality patient support centre. Urological cancers account for 1 in 3 of all cancers in men and 1 in 5 of all cancers in both men and women.
Warren Burgess, one of our fellow riders has a very personal linkage with UCAN. This is his story:
"Many of you won't know that I was diagnosed with prostate cancer 2 years ago. I was very fortunate to have been promptly treated and taken care of by the UCAN (Urological Cancers) Centre in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and while not confirmed yet, there is a strong likelihood that I have been cured. The support and care I received from UCAN was a tremendous help to me - and for the many people diagnosed with a urological cancer, I want to do my bit to ensure that UCAN will continue to be available for them.
UCAN requires ongoing funding support in order to carry on this level of care and support for patients, as well as leading research and community awareness programmes. Other specific needs this year include upgrading areas of the Urology ward and funding for a surgical robot. So, your donations would be really well used and very much appreciated.
I am also doing this to raise awareness about prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men, with over 35,000 diagnosed in the UK every year. My experience was that I was oblivious to it until I found out I had it, at age 51. I am now very glad I went to my doctor when I did - even though it was a shock, it was far better to find out about it and deal with it. The tests are simple - and I strongly recommend that all men aged 50 or over should get them done, especially if there have been any changes to urinating function. Note that prostate cancer screening is not yet a standard screening in the UK.
Thank you very much for your support.
You can find out more about the other charities we are supporting & donate via the following links :-
http://www.justgiving.com/C2C2-MND
http://www.justgiving.com/c2c2-BF
Note that BP will match every pound donated so please give generously!
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
So please dig deep and donate now.