1 in every 2 people in the UK will be diagnosed with a form of Cancer in their lifetime. Think about that for a minute. That’s potentially half the people in your WhatsApp groups, half the people you work with and half the people you go out with at a weekend.

I like many, lived life thinking it wasn’t something to worry about, certainly not until old age. Cancer is something that affects others I thought. It certainly wouldn’t affect my wife – a non-smoker who regularly exercises, eats a healthy diet and drinks in moderation. Unfortunately, I was very wrong. Last January, at the age of 39, Lisa was diagnosed with a rare form of stage 4 lung cancer, ALK Positive. We now live in a world of quarterly scans to check her current treatment is still working, knowing one day the cancer will become resistant to it. Thankfully, advances in cancer care mean we have other treatment options ahead, but ultimately we know the cancer will eventually win. There is no cure for Lisa.

If you’re one of the unlucky ones like us, at that point, you’ll want MacMillan Cancer Research in your corner. You’ve probably seen their shops or are aware of their ads on TV, but it’s only when you need them that you realise the extent to which they provide support to cancer patients and their loved ones. They’re the nurses on the frontline, offering support and understanding during diagnoses or treatment. They’re the ones navigating the bureaucracy in hospitals to ensure you get tests and appointments quicker to be able to start treatment. They’re the counsellors offering support online or on the phone when you need it. They’re the support staff arranging help outside of hospital and benefits you weren’t aware of. We’ve been fortunate in that to this point we haven’t had to explain to our children the seriousness of Lisa’s condition – but guess who’s there to support the children when we have to deliver the news no child should ever have to hear. You guessed it - MacMillan.

I hope that no-one reading this ever has to go through what we have. But for anyone that does, they should be able to access the same support and care from MacMillan that we have. And so to that end, myself and 14 friends are looking to raise money on MacMillan’s behalf by tackling a 10K Tough Mudder in July. For some this might seem a walk in the park. For a 41 year who hasn’t done anywhere enough exercise in the last 10 years however, the prospect
of wading through freezing cold mud and water, swinging on monkeybars, and then running through live electric wires, isn’t what I’d call a breeze. The kids seem to think it's funny though.

As a group, we’d be grateful if you could support us and donate some money to this great cause. I appreciate times are tough financially, but any contributions you can make to this incredible charity would be greatly appreciated – likewise please share this page with others, so we can ensure MacMillan Cancer Research are able to continue supporting those of us affected by this terrible disease.

The 15 Mudders:

Ian Lenehan, Steven Kirkham, Paul Quinlan, Chris Stott, Liam
Fitzpatrick, Mike Slater, Bruce Moran, Darren Delahunt, Anton Robinson, Damian Healey, Adam Thomas, Nick Wroe, Paul McGarrigle, David Hunter, Adam Chrimes