20 years ago in 1991 when I was 21 I had a rare cancer in the roof of my mouth. It was removed surgically and then I had radiotherapy, recovered and got on with my life.

In August 2011 I was diagnosed with cancer on the parotid gland in the right side of my face.  I was told it had been caused by my first dose of radiotherapy.  The parotid tumour was removed at The Royal Marsden Hospital in Chelsea, along with the facial nerve on that side.  The right side of my face was completely paralysed.  I then had 6 weeks of radiotherapy in London at Christmas time. 

Times were tough but I was very lucky compared to many others.  My pain levels were low throughout my RT and I was able to keep eating, helping me to stay positive.  Now 18 months later the facial paralysis is virtually gone.

The Wiggle Mountain Mayhem 24hr mountain bike race has a special place for me.  This year will be my 15th out of 16 Mayhems, missing only one in the week my son Rowan was born in 2004, and I've always done it as part of a 4 or 5 person team called the Alaskan Puppies.  2000 riders do as many laps of the hilly, muddy 7 mile course in 24 hours as they can.  It's always tough due to bad weather, the hills, and trying to stay awake to keep team mates going. 

But this year it's different - I'm doing it solo.  Riding from 12pm on Saturday 15th June through the night to 12pm on Sunday 16th June.  My aim is to finish in the top half of the male solo category, and not sleep at all.

I want to say thank you to the people who still support me through my tough times - my wife Lara and son Rowan, family, friends, people in the street who ask how I'm getting on, people who I've met through my treatment, and surgical staff. 

And I want to encourage you to donate to Macmillan Cancer Support in the UK who have given me incredible support.  They gave me a grant to help with travel costs when I was having my treatment over 150 miles away in London, helped us find our way through our financial worries, gave us psychological counselling to help deal with our fears of cancer and for the future, and organised rapid pain relief prescriptions from the local GP.

So please donate and if you're a UK taxpayer please be sure to use GiftAid.  Every penny you donate will help.

Thanks, Ashley.

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