On Saturday the 25th of July I will compete in my first ever Spartan race, taking part in Deka Fit down in Manchester to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

I will be racing to support my mum Lorraine, better known as Mama Diablo, who has been battling breast cancer since last year and without whom there is no Dane Diablo. I will be racing to support my dad Dave who also battled cancer and I will be racing in memoriam of those we have lost.

In 2020 we lost my cousin Andrew. He was only 32. Losing anyone to cancer brings unimaginable pain but to lose Andrew - our beloved cousin, son, husband and dad - was unbearable. Andrew passed away due to an incredibly rare cancer called Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma; those who treated him had only ever read about it. One day he was the healthy, charismatic, talented Kelv we all knew and loved and the next day he was gone, such was the nature of this type of cancer.

I want to do my bit to make my big cousin who I always looked up to proud, and to make sure that no family needs to go through what we did.

Cancer - it's time to dance with the Devil!