Thank you for taking the time to visit our Just Giving page. For those of you who don’t know us very well...or at all!...we are two brothers from West London, Dave and Adam, who are attempting to cycle from Lands End to John O’Groats to raise money for HASAG, a small charity based in Southampton specialising in supporting those with asbestos related diseases.

The Reason

In 2019 we lost our dad, Brian, to a form of cancer known as Pleural Mesothelioma. Mesothelioma affects the lining of the lungs, caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibres. In dad’s case, his asbestos exposure occurred some 40 years earlier due to his employer using a large volume of asbestos based materials in their products. Whilst no form of cancer is easy to accept, Mesothelioma is a particularly devastating disease, as any diagnosis comes with the news that it is terminal.

Dad was a brave and determined man. After being discharged from hospital following initial surgery to drain fluid collecting around his lung, he would regularly be out walking, further and further each day in an effort to fight this disease as fiercely as possible. Despite the sheer grit and determination dad showed, his health inevitably deteriorated and he faced the need for more invasive surgery to try and slow the spread of the cancer, after which being able to leave the house for fresh air was a rare luxury.

Generally for people with Mesothelioma in England, only 45% of people survive one year or more, and only around 5% will survive five years or more. Dad was diagnosed in August 2018, and passed away just eight months later, aged 69.

The Charity, and how they help

Soon after dad’s diagnosis he was put in touch with HASAG. They offered free and confidential help, discussing claims for government benefits and compensation, referrals to local cancer support networks, and helping with applications for things like blue badge parking permits. HASAG were instrumental in supporting dad immediately following his diagnosis, and the support they provided allowed him to make the most of the precious little time he had left with his family.

Through donations, HASAG have been able to part fund three Mesothelioma specialist nurses in the South and East of England. Your donation will allow this work to continue to make a positive difference to people affected by asbestos, and to support research into asbestos-related diseases and treatment. You can read more about their fantastic work here: https://hasag.co.uk/

The Challenge

Dad was a keen cyclist and in the year 2000 marked his 50th birthday by cycling from Lands End, Cornwall, to John O’Groats, Scotland, with our mum joining him as a support driver. Fast forward 21 years and we have decided to repeat the ride for charity. Dave will be riding the same Dawes bicycle that our dad used for his journey in 2000. Covid-permitting, we will start on 25th September 2021 and aim to complete the 1,000 mile journey within 16 days, climbing as much as 4,500ft and cycling up to 80 miles in a single day. We hope that you will support us and spur us on by making a donation to our chosen charity via our just giving page.

Thank you.

Dave and Adam