Hi Everyone,

6 years ago I was diagnosed with Throat Cancer caused by the HPV virus. Last year, 5 years after my treatment finished, I was given the all-clear.

The treatment and care I received from The Christie were amazing, and the love and support I received from family, friends, and colleagues were more than I could have hoped for.

I am now back to normal and looking forward to a future with my family, which I may not otherwise have had. I have only a few very minor side effects from the treatment which I hardly notice anymore.

If it had happened 20 years earlier things may have been very different and I am eternally grateful for all the time, effort and money put into Cancer Research.

It doesn’t only save lives but it massively improves the quality of lives of those who do survive as well as easing the suffering and extending the lives of the people Cancer does finally claim.

In order to try and give back just a little part of what they have given me, my long-suffering friend, Ian Jones, and I are going to ride the way of the roses, coast to coast route (I may be pushing my bike up some hills). It’s 170 miles from Morecambe to Bridlington over 2 days.

The first day is about 62 miles and nearly 4000ft of climbing (Oh dear! Hills are my mortal enemies and that’s way more than I’ve ever managed before).

The second day is about 108 miles if we don’t get lost and we probably will (this will be the furthest I have ridden in a day and after the day before, it’s going to hurt).

Big thanks to Ian for supporting me along the way and I hope he has finally serviced his bike and started practicing (I don't want to be put to shame by someone who hasn't even trained).

Please give generously to Cancer Research to make our suffering worthwhile, and if anyone has an ebike they can spare (Alright!! legs only then, pedaling or pushing)

Thanks for any donations and I hope you never have a brush with Cancer, but if you do, know that thanks to Cancer Research, the treatment, and chances of beating it are getting better all the time so things are looking up.

Thank you and much love to you all. It’s a great thing you do.

Stefan

Xxxxx