In the run up to Christmas 2002, I got an awful shock. Doctors told me that I had advanced prostate cancer and that it would probably kill me within two years. I was 37, the same age as my beautiful wife. Our gorgeous little daughters were only 4 and 2.
Faced with the prospect of having to leave them all before we’d had anything like enough time together, I did the only thing I could. I fought… as hard as I could. I had experimental chemotherapy, when most doctors told me not to. I followed that up with experimental radiotherapy, when almost everyone told me to rest and enjoy the time I had left. And when that was over, I did what my US oncologist told me, and started to ride a bike. He thought the exercise would be good for me on many levels. Lots of people thought he was mad! It was hard at first, but I had my wife and friends (especially Rowland) to help me. When people told me I was pushing myself too hard, I looked at my three girls and knew I was doing the right thing. What better incentive than being a husband and father to them could I have to fight as hard as I could for my life?
And do you know what? Little by little things started to happen. I got my energy back, lost weight, and the results of my blood tests started to improve. To “celebrate” and to help raise awareness of prostate cancer I asked some close friends to ride a 42-mile bike ride in New York with me. The positive energy that surrounded that event was amazing. Help came in from so many different places, and we ended up raising an incredible £230K for The Prostate Cancer Charity.
At the time, I thought that might end up being some kind of legacy – something my daughters could see I’d done, rather than just sitting back and accepting defeat. But, I kept on riding and my test results improved some more.
Foolishly I accepted an invitation from my new friends at Trek (who’d generously supplied bikes and kit for the New York ride) to take part in the following year’s Etape du Tour. That was a ride over the hardest mountain stage of the 2006 Tour de France between Gap and Alpe d’Huez (just before the professionals rode it). I didn’t complete it because I was stopped for not riding fast enough. But the experience was fantastic and, once I’d got my breath back, helped to make me feel even more optimistic and positive about things (as important, it raised another £30K for The Charity).
I needed a break after that, but after a few months of gym work, the bike came out again, and I rode some more. More blood tests came back negative. In fact, the level of PSA in my blood (a marker for prostate cancer) has been undetectable for a year and a half. (When I was diagnosed it was around 300. Normal is 2-4).
The doctors keep telling me that they are surprised, that I’m not cured and that the cancer will eventually come back and get me. But one of them also told me it’s “anyone’s guess” as to how I should be treated from now on. I laughed when I heard that. Laughed because it meant I’d exceeded all his expectations. Laughed because it means I’m in a place where no one expected me to be.
So, what to do now? Well, first I’ve decided to ignore what the doctors say and believe that I am cured. After all, if you think you’re going to die from prostate cancer, you probably will. But if you don’t, you might not. Second. I’m going to keep riding my bike. In fact, I’m going to attempt another stage of the Tour de France – the leg between
Greenwich and
Canterbury – a week before it’s ridden by the professionals.
This stage isn’t anything like as hard as the stage I attempted last year. It’s more or less flat, and is only 120 miles long! (If you want to know more about the ride, details can be found by clicking here). Given that, and the fact that Paul Tappin and I were a little lonely on last year’s Etape ride, I thought it would only be fair to ask some more of my close friends to join me on the 1st of July.
Amazingly, 20 hard cases have agreed to ride with me to try and raise awareness of prostate cancer and to raise some more money for the good work carried out by The Prostate Cancer Charity.
All of us, I think, feel that there isn’t enough awareness of the disease and that there isn’t enough funding for research into the causes of it. Far larger amounts are devoted to similarly devastating cancers.
The Prostate Cancer Charity is one of the few organizations that give men of all ages access to well funded sources of information on the disease, along with help in coping with a diagnosis of prostate cancer. It also funds research that aims to find cures for the disease.
Prostate cancer is obviously a man's disease, and typically an old man’s disease. But, as my experience shows, it can strike at any age. So, all you men out there need to get yourself checked regularly and know what to look out for. Believe me, you don’t want to find yourself with an aggressive, untreatable cancer like I did.
And all you women out there have got fathers, brothers, sons, or husband’s so it's as much an issue for you as it is for the man in your life. Get involved, get the information you need, and encourage your man to go for a test. Regularly.
Okay, that’s the end of the sermon so we come, of course, to the matter at hand. Fairly obviously, we need sponsors to help continue the work of The Charity. This means we have to ask you – knowing that pretty much all of you have been very generous sponsors of the previous two rides – to dig deep again and sponsor our latest mission (support at the start and finish lines would also be much appreciated). Please give whatever you can. It really does make a difference.
On reading back over the above, it all sounds a little too focused on me, which is not the intention at all. Indeed, I would like to dedicate this ride to the men I have seen struggle through weeks of horrible chemotherapy with great courage and determination, only to lose their fight against the disease (I’m still thinking of you Ray).
I would also like to dedicate it to all the men I’ve met in hospitals in London and New York who quietly but steadfastly get on with their lives with a smile on their faces despite having to go through months or years of heavy duty treatment. Treatment that often has horrible side effects and little certainty of success.
Both groups of men are heroes, as are the friends who will be helping to raise awareness of prostate cancer and money for The Charity by taking part in the ride. They have nothing to gain except a very sore butt! These brave souls are:
Graeme Anderson Thanks for taking the time to read this and for supporting us. I hope our efforts help or inspire you in some small way.
Allez, allez!!
David.
By the way, if you’d like to have a look at the rides we’ve done before, then please click on the following links:
The Five Boro Bike Ride – New York City, May 2006
Ruth Anderson
Allen Appen
Troy Bowler
Phil Branigan
Daniel Brooks
Rowland Crouch
Jon Edmonds
Gavin Gilbert
Clive Green
Euan Harkness
Jamie Jenkins
Elliot Katz
Jim Leaviss
Michael Parker
Clive Self
Bruce Slater
Miles Storey
Paul Tappin
Nat Tyce (was going to ride but deliberately broke his arm when he realised how hard it was going to be!)
Raised so far: £55,964.00
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Delighted still to be able to support you in this David! Donation by Alex Johnson on 08/08/07 |
£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid |
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Donation by marco on 27/07/07 |
£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid |
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A very good cause Donation by phil gillborn on 25/07/07 |
£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid |
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Donation by anon on 23/07/07 |
£250.00 + £70.51 Gift Aid |
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Well done on another great achievement Donation by DP on 16/07/07 |
£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid |
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Well Done Donation by Romana Malik on 12/07/07 |
£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid |
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Well done to everyone Donation by Willie Peddie on 11/07/07 |
£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid |
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Supporting Jim Leaviss and the team. Great job guys and a great charity. Donation by Brandon Prater on 11/07/07 |
£75.00 + £21.15 Gift Aid |
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Well done .. great effort Donation by Keval Shah on 10/07/07 |
£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid |
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Well done! Donation by Simon James on 09/07/07 |
£30.00 + £8.46 Gift Aid |
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Donation by Neil Brown on 09/07/07 |
£30.00 + £8.46 Gift Aid |
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Keep those legs moving Donation by McBains on 09/07/07 |
£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid |
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Donation by Haidje Rustau on 06/07/07 |
£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid |
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Good luck boys Donation by Andy Clayton on 06/07/07 |
£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid |
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All the Best Donation by Bob Thorne on 05/07/07 |
£250.00 + £70.51 Gift Aid |
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Good Luck to All Donation by Michael Sager on 05/07/07 |
£100.00 |
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well done all. Donation by korky on 05/07/07 |
£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid |
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lots of luck to you all. Donation by curtis on 04/07/07 |
£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid |
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Dan, bruce... your peddling crazy! Donation by kat holmes on 04/07/07 |
£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid |
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Thank you very much for picking me up on the way to registration saturday when I had 2 flats!!!!!!!! Donation by CabDriver to Greenwich on 03/07/07 |
£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid |
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Congratulations on completing the course in such good time! Donation by Peter King on 03/07/07 |
£120.00 + £33.85 Gift Aid |
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Go Jim! Donation by Frankie White on 03/07/07 |
£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid |
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Well done Bruce & Dan xxxxx Donation by Katherine Gangotra on 03/07/07 |
£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid |
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Good luck! Donation by Steve Grace on 03/07/07 |
£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid |
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Great effort Donation by Geoffrey Dicks on 03/07/07 |
£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid |
| * Total raised online: | £23,344.00 |
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| Offline donations: | £32,620.00 |
| Mobile donations: | £0.00 |
| Total Raised: | £55,964.00 |
| Gift Aid plus supplement: | £6,124.46 |
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