On the 25th November at 5.20 am we lost Mike to lung cancer at the young age of 67. He was a truly amazing husband, father and grandad (Pépé).

Mike/Papa/Pépé was diagnosed with late-stage Lung Cancer in July this year, despite showing no symptoms of this awful disease and after having recently climbed Mt Ventoux on his bike. Prior to this, he had shown no signs of slowing down and was very young in mind and body.

As a family we are in complete shock as to how such a fit man, who had never smoked, was consumed by this awful disease within just four months. Mike treated the cancer like the mountains he used to climb, with great mental strength and one pedal stroke at a time. Unfortunately this would be the first mountain that Mike would not conquer. If the cancer had been detected earlier, then we feel sure he would still be with us today. 

We want to raise money, so that this disease can be detected sooner and so that other families won't have to deal with the heartbreak we are currently facing. Lung cancer is the most fatal cancer in the UK, as it is very difficult to detect early. Though lung cancer is usually associated with smoking, 28% of lung cancer sufferers are non-smokers. Little is known about the causes, but it is thought that environmental factors such as pollution are leading to increasing rates. There are currently no screening programmes for lung cancer in the UK as for other common cancers, such as breast, bowel and cervical. The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation promotes research into detecting lung cancer early, when it can be treated more successfully.

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