In July 2024, I received the life-altering news of being diagnosed with an aggressive form of head and neck cancer. A tumour was found on my tonsil, and scans revealed traces on my lymph nodes and saliva glands. I was referred to the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, where I began my treatment journey in September 2024. Over the course of my treatment, I underwent 35 sessions of radiotherapy to the mouth and neck area, accompanied by chemotherapy. Treatment was completed end of November and as warned by the experts, this treatment was incredibly brutal, and the side effects took a significant toll on me. I was unable to eat anything for 4 months and was also admitted back to hospital for 7 days over the Christmas period due to having a form of sepsis from an infection in the treated area.

Throughout this challenging period, the team at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre provided exceptional care. Their unwavering support helped me and my wife navigate through one of the most difficult times in our lives. Following a scan in February 2025, I received an all-clear diagnosis from the primary cancer but it had picked up a marker as a potential secondary cancer on my lungs due to the lymph nodes, thankfully this was confirmed as all clear too from a CT scan in June 2025. Today, I am proud to say that I am in remission with a positive outlook for the future back doing what I was doing prior to all of this and managing to cope with the longer term side effects which will be with me for quite some time.

I cannot express enough gratitude for everyone at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre—from my oncologist to the healthcare assistants who monitored my progress weekly and offered comfort during moments of sickness. They were not just medical professionals; they were compassionate individuals who genuinely cared for me when I felt at my lowest.

I genuinely feel like I owe my life to these guys. They helped me through the hardest thing I have ever gone through in my life. Cared for me and kept me focused when I was at my lowest. I genuinely love them all from the bottom of my heart. There is not enough flowers or chocolates that could say thank you enough.

I therefore have decided that I will do my bit to help raise money for the Clatterbridge cancer charity. Money to the CCC helps them to provide the treatment to others and helps them with research to ensure they develop their treatments to be more successful and less intrusive. A course well worth it.

I will do this on the 1st anniversary of starting treatment. September 2024, I was walking into an 11 storey cancer hospital in Liverpool to start my treatment. September 2025 I will go to the roof of it and abseil down it! Being absolutely petrified of heights and never abseiled in my life, Why Not!!

If anyone can spare anything to sponsor me for this challenge, any small amount will be hugely appreciated! Cancer seems to effect many people in some shape or form so any amount will help towards the research of this. All funds will go directly to the Clatterbridge Cancer Charity.