This July, friends Rob Clegg and Richard Wattam will push our bodies and minds to their absolute limit — paddling 1,000 miles through some of the world's most remote wilderness, entirely unsupported, to raise vital funds for Guts UK and their vital work on bowel cancer.

The Yukon 1000 is the world's longest paddle race. Starting in Whitehorse, Canada, it follows the mighty Yukon River 1,000 miles (1,600 km) north through Canada and deep into Alaska, finishing at the Dalton Highway Bridge — well beyond the Arctic Circle - all totally unsupported. The race is to be completed in under 9.5 days paddling 18 hours a day solid. See www.yukon1000.org

Bowel cancer has touched our lives in the most direct and painful of ways. Not once, but four times over.

Mark Clegg, Rob's brother, has been fighting colon cancer for the past six months and has just completed his fifth round of chemotherapy. Watching someone so close to you endure that treatment — the exhaustion, the uncertainty, the sheer courage it takes — changes your perspective on everything. We are immensely proud of him.

In 2021, Rob lost one of my closest friends, Scottie Campbell, to colon cancer. He was one of the greatest most generous, loving, warm, friendly, humorous and wonderful people Rob ever met. He was taken far too soon from Nina, his gorgeous wife, and Georgie and Jack, his two awesome children. His loss left a huge and irreplaceable mark on all of us who knew him. Not a week goes by that Rob doesn't think of him. A legend.

More recently, a crew mate of Rob's from the 1996 Boat Race has been diagnosed with serious colon problems.

As preparations for the Race were underway, a dear friend of Richard's shared the difficult news that he had been diagnosed with bowel cancer. It was a stark reminder of how quickly life can change and it inspired Richard to use this challenge as an opportunity to join forces with Rob and raise funds and awareness for a cause that is now very close to home on many fronts.

The disease keeps finding people we care about.

Bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer in the UK — and yet it is one of the most treatable if caught early. That is why awareness and research funding matter so deeply.

25ft is a lot of gut to understand! The truth is, our guts have been underfunded, understaffed and undervalued for decades. People are suffering, people are dying. All because of a lack of knowledge about our guts.

With new knowledge, we will end the pain and suffering for the millions affected by digestive diseases.

Guts UK’s research leads to earlier diagnoses, kinder treatments and ultimately, a cure.