The Challenge

A team of amateur trekkers, co-led by Gregor Townsend and Zoe Smith, successfully summitted “4 peaks in 4 days for 40tude” on the Ginza Ridge in the Northern Japanese Alps. First they made the gruelling climb up the Kassen Ridge, one of the toughest and steepest ascents in all of Japan.

They took this on In honour of Gregor’s former team-mate and Zoe’s husband, the Scotland rugby international and British & Irish Lion, Tom Smith, who tragically died in 2022, aged 50, after three years battling with colon cancer.

The Cause

Colon (bowel) cancer is the number one killer of non-smokers in the UK. There are 42,000 new cases of colon cancer each year in the UK - equating to 1 in 110 people diagnosed each day, with an average of 46 lives lost every day.

Rates of colon cancer are increasing, alarmingly, particularly in young people. By 2030, the American Cancer Society expects that colon cancer will be the leading cause of cancer-related death in men and women under 50.

This needn't be the case however, as if it is detected early, colon cancer is one of the easiest cancers to treat. The really good news is that this type of cancer can be prevented, through regular screening.

Funds raised

The team is aiming to raise £100,000 to establish the “Tom Smith Screening Fund” to subsidise colon cancer screening in younger people.

The challenge team will also help to raise awareness of the vital role of screening and imperative of acting on any symptoms of this preventable type of cancer.

Tom Smith worked tirelessly during his illness with 40tude who raise money for St. Mark’s - the National Bowel Hospital, and world leaders in colon cancer research, diagnosis and treatment.

You can see more about the programmes 40tude is funding and the impact they are having by visiting 40tude's website.

If you can make a donation it would be hugely appreciated. Together we can prevent more families from being affected by colon cancer.