Story
In September 2022, at the age of 40 Craig Maxwell was diagnosed with a rare form of genetic lung cancer, EGFR+, which had also spread to his bones.
It is an inoperable, incurable Stage 4 diagnosis. Craig’s terminal illness has given him, his children, Isla (12) and Zach (8), and wife, Tracey, limited time together.
Tracey and Craig agreed that they will not let this control the time they have left together as a family. They decided to focus their energy on raising vital funds to support and help the Cancer diagnosis pathway in Wales, speeding up diagnosis and supporting quicker treatments for patients
These funds would go toward improving reasearch and investment in diagnostics through the QuicDNA (cancer genomics) project - an area that could dramatically impact the diagnosis of lung cancer in Wales. This project aims to reduce the time it takes to diagnose lung cancer and improve access to better cancer treatments through the use of a new, innovative liquid biopsy technique using a simple blood test. The QuicDNA project could see Wales become the first in the UK to routinely use liquid biopsy for all patients suspected of having incurable lung cancer. In both the UK and Ireland, there are research centres and centres of excellence researching the potential benefits, but roll-out to more patients in need has not been feasible.
Craig has done a number of challenges since his diagnosis to try raise much needed funds including the London Marathon, taking part in CARTEN, cycling 320 miles from Cardiff to Paris, cycling over 420 miles from Paris to Bordeaux and taken on the Welsh 3000s – climbing over 10 mountains, all over 3,000ft in 24 hours. As of today Craig, Tracey, and their friends have raised close to £1 million with the support of Velindre Cancer Centre through the Maxwell Foundation.
His latest challenge is completing 780 miles walking the length and breadth of Wales over 26 days (and cycling anything else!) before delivering the matchball for Wales vs France on March 10th, representing the 78 days it took for a diagnosis to be given and the 26 days that represents QuicDNA's goal- a reduced diagnosis time.
I'll be joining Craig on March 7th in Rhossilli alongside my Six Nations colleagues for a 25 mile leg to Swansea to support a legend of a man who despite cruel and devastating circumstances, is doing anything he can to try stop this from happening to others.
All proceeds will go to the Maxwell Foundation.