Nicola Martin
Sam's Tay Challenge
Fundraising for Maggie's Centres
Story
PLEASE NOTE:
Due to a number of different factors playing against me I will not be doing the swim this September. This is a huge disappointment largely because I have received such tremendous support but also because I have been enduring a very cold Loch Earn for my swim training!I would like to assure everyone that this will happen - recommendations are for June and between now and then I know we will all keep raising awareness of Prostate Cancer.
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I've set myself a 22 mile open water swimming challenge that includes a “Swim and Surf” down the River Tay in late August to raise awareness and funds for Prostate Cancer. Prostate Cancer is the most common type of cancer in men in the UK with one in eight men over 50 diagnosed.
I am one of those men who has been diagnosed and I feel very strongly that awareness needs to be heightened in order to increase early diagnoses. As with breast cancer, early detection can improve men’s chances of a full recovery.
I feel that the dangers and consequences of Prostate Cancer in Men should be as high profile as breast Cancer is with Women. We have no screening process and yet fifty appears to be the age when Prostate Cancer might start to develop. An awful lot of man are finding out they have cancer later than they perhaps should have done.
My own diagnoses shows spread from his prostate gland that is not curable although I am hopeful that it will be contained. I wish my doctors had told me eight years earlier that I should now keep an eye on my prostate. I now hope to spread that message to others.
Many will know me as the manager at Perth racecourse but before this I had a very enjoyable career as a jockey and was lucky enough to have ridden in seven Grand Nationals. Throughout my career I've been no stranger to a high octane challenge having broken seven bones is a one single racing fall and spent days on life support. This is the big one though. This one means a lot to me.
My open water challenge will see me leave Dunkeld Bridge and “swim and surf” to under Perth Bridge – a total of 22 miles - in late August. I plan to swim every day in Loch Earn to adjust my body to the cold water as I will try to make the journey without a wetsuit. I expect it to take all day and I suspect I will need a few drams en route.
I would be very grateful for any donation you can make - every penny will help Maggies Centres