For more information please go to https://marksmission.co.uk/

When your best friend is diagnosed with a stage 4 glioblastoma brain tumour, which is terminal, and he tells you and then you see him tell all the other close friends and family, it just leaves you helpless.

But we are not helpless, there is lots we can do in supporting our friend and enjoying the times we have together and enjoying the many countless times we have spent together in the past recognising what made us friends in the first place and celebrating what a great time and a good life we have shared.

Mark Monaghan is truly one of the world’s great guys. Not because of anything he has particularly achieved, but because of who he is and what he is. I won’t go on too much but Mark served his country for 10 years in the Royal Navy and saw action in the Bosnian war when United Kingdom ships were deployed in the region. He is a proud Englishman and a lover of the England Rugby team and Northampton Saints Rugby team.

More than that though he is a loving husband to Debs and a proud father to George and Katie, both of whom are highly successful studying at University.

But even more than that he is a friend to all. If anyone needs help, Mark is the first is to put his name forward and lend a hand. If there is a piece of equipment we need, Mark probably has it in his neatly organised garage.

So for him to be struck down with this horrendous disease just feels so cruel. But he is so brave and will not let it get him down – he is an inspiration to us all and his inspiration has given rise to Mark’s Mission.

Mark’s Mission is a bike challenge

Starting on 9th May Andrew Nicholson, Duncan Nicholson and Derek Middlemiss will depart Newcastle Falcons rugby stadium, Kingston Park in Newcastle upon Tyne and cycle to every Premiership Rugby ground in the English Premiership.

Our route will take us to Sale Sharks in Manchester, Gloucester Rugby, Bath Rugby, Bristol Rugby, Exeter Chiefs in Exeter, Harlequins at the Stoop in London, Twickenham (Mark’s spiritual rugby home), Saracens in North London, Leicester Tigers and finally to Northampton Saints, finishing on Saturday 17th May.

This journey will be just under 900 miles (1400 km) and we have 9 days to do it in to ensure that we get to Northampton for the last home game of the season. No easy challenge but with Mark to inspire us we will get it done.

We cannot do this without lots of support and help and if you go to our website www.marksmission.co.uk you can read all about our supporters and more about us. You will also be able to see our partners and those who will get us to the finish line, we are so grateful to them.

Our aim is to raise awareness about brain tumours and to make people understand how devastating they are and how they affect those who have this terrible disease and how it affects their family and friends. We also want to raise as much as we can for the Brain Tumour Charity and the research they do.

Every penny we raise will go to The Brain Tumour Charity, everyone involved in this challenge is giving their time and support for nothing. So please go to the events page on the website where the route will be set out in more detail. We will of course update this page and make it more informative, but the majority of information will be on the website.

We need all of you to give generously, we have set ourselves a huge target, help us achieve that.

The Brain Tumour Charity is the world's leading brain tumour charity and the largest dedicated funder of research into brain tumours globally. Committed to saving and improving lives, we're moving further, faster to help every single person affected by a brain tumour.

We're set on finding new treatments, offering the highest level of support and driving urgent change. And we're doing it right now. Because we understand that when you, or someone you love, is diagnosed with a brain tumour a cure really can't wait.