The Long Ride - For the love of life.

To celebrate being clear following treatment for cancer

My Story

The Long Ride No matter how you live it, the gift of life is truly wonderful, the greatest possession we will ever own. The most intangible, beautiful and rarest resource in the universe, and we are so lucky to savour it. Two years ago I was diagnosed with throat cancer (Stage - T4). My world suddenly shrank. We never know how long we will have in life, but to have any time at all is an extraordinary priviledge. Four months after diagnosis, I finished my 'treatment'. Despite the few legacy impacts, the treatment has so far proved to be very effective. I am now 18 months clear, which means my future risk is nearly normal. I am and will be, eternally grateful to the doctors, nurses and medical staff at St. Michael's Hospital, and the Oncology unit at the BRI in Bristol. For the diagnosis, treatment, care, comfort and devotion, through the long hours of those dark days. In addition my gratitude extends to the generations of health workers that have developed the life saving procedures that are now available. I am grateful to Cancer Research Uk (who I first heard of whilst still at school), for the huge amount of benefit they have brought to thousands of people, and whose scientists developed the chemotherapy drug which I myself was given. I am doing this ride because I can. It will give me an opportunity to fully enjoy the wonderful gift that I nearly lost. And by raising money, to go towards furthering the treatment needed to ensure more people have a positive outcome when they face an uncertain future. And lastly a huge thank you to my wife, who helped not least by holding the candle steady, when my world was at its darkest.

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