Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

My name is Nick Russell and I am walking all 79 miles of the Yorkshire Wolds Way between Saturday 26 May and Monday 28 May in aid of the June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund (JHMRF). 

I recently lost my dad, Gary, in October 2017 after a year-long battle with Mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive incurable cancer that mainly affects the lining of the lungs and is usually linked to asbestos exposure. 

Diagnosed cases of this disease are particularly acute in the Yorkshire region due to its history of traditional industries that used large amounts of asbestos materials. It was whilst training as an apprentice joiner that my dad was exposed to asbestos fibres and ultimately lead to him being diagnosed with mesothelioma in late 2016. 

Mesothelioma develops very slowly, usually taking 30 to 50 years between initial exposure to asbestos and the onset of symptoms. However, the disease can progress quickly from this point but is often difficult to diagnose and there is no clear medical agreement about treatment. Mesothelioma cannot be cured by usual cancer treatments; the proximity of tumours to vital organs makes it difficult for surgeons to completely eliminate. At present, treatment can only relieve some symptoms and slow progression of the disease.

In my dad’s memory and to raise money to support JHMRF, I am walking the Yorkshire Wolds Way. I will take on this challenge with the support of friends and family over the spring bank holiday weekend, starting in Hessle on Saturday 26 May and walking the equivalent of a marathon each day to complete the route at Filey Brigg on Monday 28 May, which would have been my dad’s 61^st birthday. 

Established in 1997, the June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund is the UK’s first and largest independent mesothelioma charity dedicated to raising funds for research, improvements to current treatments and the care of people with mesothelioma. To find out more about this charity that have been a source of great support, please visit: https://www.junehancockfund.org/ 

I would really appreciate any donation, however small, that you could provide in support of this challenge.

Thank you!